Remind Me
by Music and Angels
Summary: This is directly after the Season 2 finale, and Spencer & Toby are finally reunited. Spencer's been through a lot, but Toby has sworn to always be there to catch her when she may fall.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! So I just watched the Season 2 finale…oh my goodness. Spencer & Toby! That scene made me cry so much. And I cannot believe the whole –A/Mona thing—I just don't buy it. I have to say I'm a little disappointed with that but the episode was just so perfect! I feel so bad for Emily though; I never liked Maya but seeing her so heartbroken was painful. Hanna after finding out about Mona was not easy either, but I'm glad Spencer got a resolution! Also, I'm not sure if I'm missing something really big, but I'm pretty sure that Dr. Sullivan is Toby's stepmother. Anyway, here is a Spencer/Toby story that takes place during and after the finale. I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars OR Remind Me by Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood.**

Aria, Hanna, and Emily stared wordlessly with their long lost therapist, Dr. Sullivan, as Spencer approached Toby. They knew how much she still loved this boy, and they saw how hurt she had gotten when under the impression that their relationship was over. They had to be wary of him, yet they could tell no harm was ever implied. In Rosewood, it's always good to escape—even if it confuses the people around you, it may have to be done. The girls just didn't want Spencer to be left alone in despair, yet again, on tonight of all nights. Their friend had broken down more than once in her period of mourning Toby, and Spencer _never _broke down. Showing weakness like that was considered a shame, no matter how torn she got, the youngest Hastings hadn't previously been defeated. Until, of course, Toby came and ran away with her heart still in his hands.

"Toby," She breathed, allowing him to draw her nearer. He tried to pull her in for a kiss, but Spencer wriggled away.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, not ignoring the despair she had encountered earlier when trying to reignite their spark.

Smiling still, Toby pressed on, "do you have any idea how hard it was for me to hide the fact that I love you? To pretend like I didn't love you anymore? I never stopped. How could I?"

At these words, Spencer melted. It was as clear as the message her heart was conveying—she had fallen head over heels in love with him again. The flame was relit. Spencer didn't fight her emotions this time, she gave into the kiss. For what seemed like an endless moment of bliss they shared a touch, and an embrace. As all good things must come to an end, they eventually had to break apart.

She looked back at her friends, and saw the pleased expressions on the girls' faces. They had been through so much that night, all too much for them to handle. It was scary, it was still unresolved, and it was shocking, but Spencer didn't have to deal with it alone anymore. She had someone to confide in, now that their secret was out, and someone to protect her should anything ever happen again.

Dr. Sullivan looked the happiest of them all. Her job was to bring people back together, or to at least get them to come to terms with their consciences, and it was certainly accomplished with this couple. Hand in hand, they walked over to the group.

Spencer didn't need to say anything, her actions were enough. The smile playing on her face was infectious, and even if she wanted to say something she probably couldn't! Her heart was racing a million miles a minute, and she was dizzy with pride. She was proud that it was all over, and that Toby had never fully left her, and that there was a light at the end of the metaphoric tunnel.

"So I guess it worked out OK?" Aria asked, grinning at her friend, who was seemingly attached to Toby's side.

Dreamily, she responded, "yeah. I think…I think it did."

For the first time that night all the girls were able to smile. Unfortunately, their moment was interrupted by a cop shouting nearby, "She's alive!" Those words had never been so relieveing and terrifying. The quartet plus Toby rushed over to the hill and peered down, to see a disgruntled Mona clad in black. The same stalker who had been terrorizing them for so long, and who had nearly killed Toby's Spencer not that long ago in a closed car and later again, outside of it.

He held her closer, not wanting to let go for fear of letting her get into the wrong hands. Again.

"Thank you," she whispered, and without replying verbally he spoke back by hugging her, intentionally shielding her from Mona being carried away to an asylum, where surely she would be taken care of. She breathed in his intoxicating, warm scent. She had missed this when he was neglecting her. But Spencer now realized that all of the times she'd confronted him, or tried to apologize—it was all an act.

The girls finally parted ways—Hanna home to her mom and Caleb, who would no doubt be there to comfort her; Emily reunited with her mom, whose timely return from Texas was somewhat ironic; Aria either safe in the arms of her mother or Ezra; and Spencer of course with Toby. Since Jenna was still a touchy subject, the couple opted to go to Spencer's house, where only Mrs. Hastings would be present, and her room was on a whole other floor from Spencer's.

The ride back to the house was silent, Spencer trying to re-memorize every aspect of the truck she had bought Toby. It seemed like it was so long ago, and that since the alleged "break up" time had moved so slowly. None of this mattered now, however—as Toby was back to himself, and Spencer was free from harm's way.

When they arrived at the house and walked up to Spencer's room, Toby pulled her onto the bed and they lay like that for awhile until he broke the silence.

"I really am sorry. Are you going to be OK?"

Spencer half snorted. "About what? Mona or…leaving?"

He sighed and kissed the top of her head. "Both. Everything. I'm sorry." With this, Spencer snuggled closer to Toby and closed her eyes with no meaning of going to sleep just yet.

"I must say, you were very convincing. Ever think of taking up acting?"

Spencer was back. "Not my thing," he laughed—opening his mouth to say something, but shut it again. When he'd mustered up enough courage, the words that left him were, "we are back together right?"

"Normally I would be the one to over process everything," she began, smiling slightly. "But this one's a given. If you forgive me, then yes."

"In which case, I'm never leaving you again. I couldn't stand it…I'm…I shouldn't have put you through that, Spence."

Her tone turned serious, and her chocolate eyes were pleading now. "Just don't go again. I need you."

He brought her closer to him and wrapped an arm protectively around her slim figure. "It's a promise."

Fully content now, Spencer visibly relaxed into her lover's arms. Her lips widened into a grin, when an old song came into her mind.

_All those things that you used to do  
>That made me fall in love with you<br>Remind me, oh, baby, remind me_

_So on fire so in love_

_Way back when we couldn't get enough  
>Remind me, remind me<em>

The song that had once been her wildest fantasy now seemed silly. Gone were the days of hopelessness and crying herself to sleep, feverishly replaying a false image of her getting back together with Toby in her head. This was unnecessary—she knew now that he would always be right beside her.

**I hope you enjoyed it! I really wanted to put something up right after the finale. This is probably a one shot, but I may add another chapter or two, because I'm sure the shock of –A will haunt the girls for a long time, and Toby will be needed as a crutch no doubt. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! I updated due to the awesome reviews I got :) Thank you so much to anyone who read/reviewed/favorited this story! This is chapter two, and Toby is starting to take on the task of consoling Spencer, who after –A being revealed, will be scarred for a long, long time. I hope you enjoy it!**

***I do not own PLL or The Voice Within by Christina Aguilera. **

"The doctor will see you now," an official looking woman in a pantsuit exclaimed. Toby stood up and entered Dr. Sullivan's office, slightly nervous but determined to help these girls. Since returning to Rosewood, Anne had realized that she was much needed in the town and decided to stay to counsel people. And although she wouldn't come out and say it, it was obvious that one of the main reasons for not leaving after the Masquerade Ball was the girls.

Spencer gave him a half-smile when he walked into the room and sat down beside her. Dr. Sullivan stared at the group expectantly, prodding one of them to speak, so Aria blurted out, "we were talking about how you can't fully recover from something like this!"

Toby looked around at the four faces in front of him and his heart broke. Hopelessly, he turned to Dr. Sullivan.

"As you know, what everyone in this town went through was difficult, and sometimes there are ways to look past what's behind us, but it's not something you will likely overcome. You just need to find ways to cope." She explained, mostly for Toby's benefit.

It had been one week since the unmasking of –A, but the girls were still so confused and the discovery of Mona's hidden identity just led to more questions. "Why" and "how" proved to be some of the biggest ones. They thought that when they determined who their tormentor was, that they would be able to get some sleep at night. Unfortunately, the revelation opened a whole new can.

Hanna, almost shaking her head in disbelief, said, "She was my friend. Was she just using me to get to everyone else?" Her friends shook their heads "no", trying to console her. As if on cue, Caleb rushed in.

"Sorry I'm late! They're still got…" he paused, looked at Emily, and finished hurriedly with, "that road blocked."

Dr. Sullivan saw this exchange and asked, "Emily?"

In a cold, distant voice she spoke. "I don't know what to say. I'm—it's all so—numb" She continued, slightly more sure of her words now. "Everywhere I look I think—nothing matters now. Maya's gone. Maya's dead, and **I **did that."

Spencer tensed and Toby squeezed her leg softly, but still she said, "No, Em! It wasn't. You helped her—she couldn't have known what coming back to this town would do."

"Spencer's right, Em," Aria added, reaching out to hold her friend's hand comfortingly.

"I lost both of them," Emily divulged. "Alison and then Maya."

"I know you must be wondering why. It doesn't seem fair." Dr. Sullivan said. Before she could go on, Hanna interrupted with the most painfully true thing.

"It's not."

The teens continued their counseling for the allotted amount of time and thanked Dr. Sullivan for everything—giving Rosewood a second chance and helping the girls have a second try at happiness.

Spencer then Toby hugged Emily and Hanna, those two bid Aria goodbye, and Caleb parted with Spencer, Toby, and Aria. All in all, Toby was driving Spencer and Aria home, with Caleb taking the remaining girls (Hanna and Emily) to their houses.

Toby took his place in the driver's seat, and with the shutting of the door came silence. Since the exposition of –A; Spencer, Hanna, and Emily had been unable to drive. It was just in everyone's best interest that they stay away from behind the wheel. Spencer's last occurrence in a car on that fateful day had been awakening groggily to a manic Mona sporting leather gloves, who had later attempted to murder her. Hanna's was slamming on the brakes of her car within inches of the very same unstable Mona, her once-best friend—immobilized by the fact that she was indeed –A. Emily hadn't been able to do anything more than drag herself to therapy and cry since losing Maya. It was truly a heartbreaking situation for all. She wasn't consistent enough to eat regularly, so driving was out of the question.

Breaking the silence, Spencer managed, "So, Aria, how's Ezra?" and her friend visibly brightened.

"He got a teaching job at the University of Pennsylvania which is only like twenty minutes away! The teaching director there called the Dean at Hollis as a reference and he didn't say one thing about us. Although, I think he felt bad about…the –A thing."

In the days following Mona's unveiling; the Rosewood residents had been nothing short of pitying to the girls. After suffering so much speculation and being accused falsely more than their fair share of times, it seemed like the right thing to do to start anew. Everyone in the town had been careful to avoid anymore doubt when it came to the girls and Alison's untimely death. Since that night last week, the four teens had been treated with enough sympathy and condolences to last them a lifetime.

Toby spoke up now, saying, "It's about time the people here start forgiving." Spencer mentally kicked herself. Before any of the girls had been people of interest in the murder investigation, Toby was the prime suspect. Even Spencer had fallen for this rumor, which she regretted wholeheartedly. He had been tormented as well.

He dropped Aria off at her house, and then drove the short distance remaining to the Hasting's manor. The couple went into the barn where they had taken up permanent residence since the event the girls had started to call "The Mona Thing".

The two settled on an armchair, with Spencer resting her head on Toby's shoulder. "Everything alright?" he asked her, referring not, of course, to the accident.

"It's just been so…crazy. How we go mindlessly from school to therapy with our psychologist who was kidnapped by our stalker!"

Thinking his reply through for a moment, Toby said, "but isn't it better that those things are over so you can focus on the recovery?"

"True."

Both Toby and Spencer had been asleep for hours now, and her struggled cries and flailing woke him up in the midst of the darkest hour. Her strangled breaths brought him to inexplicable sadness inside, and he immediately turned the nearest lamp on.

"Spencer, it's me. It's OK, breathe. Breathe." Toby tried to console her, but it was as though she had been forced underwater and held there. She could sob—it was the inhaling and exhaling that posed an issue. When her breathing had become a mild shaky instead of a heart-stopping hyperventilation, it seemed like his voice was finally getting through to Spencer.

"Shh, you're not alone. All that's over. Breathe in, and out. Good." Toby reached for something on the bedside table and set it in front of his girlfriend. Even through the tears she cried he could see her attempting to muster a smile.

"Th-thank you, To-o-by." In a slow stutter she regained her speech. It happened like this every time—after that night she had frequent nightmares, and the panic attacks plagued Spencer. She hated them with every fiber of her being, but there was nothing she could do to prevent or stop them in their tracks. They consumed her, but she was eternally grateful for Toby coming to her aid night after night, and not leaving for someone less needy. He knew these were inevitable. The post traumatic stress wouldn't be necessary if not for Mona anyway, so if blame were to be put on someone, it would go to –A herself.

Spencer clutched the teddy bear Toby had just given her, reminiscing about when it had been purchased. Working as a sleeping pill, the stuffed animal had her quickly drifting off to slumbers. Toby watched her as she recovered from her breakdown and let sleep seep in.

If only he could penetrate her thoughts!

_Young girl don't cry  
>I'll be right here when your world starts to fall<br>Young girl it's alright  
>Your tears will dry, you'll soon be free to fly<em>

_& You'll find the strength that will guide your way  
>You'll learn to begin to trust the voice within<em>

For the first time in a long time, Spencer dreamt of something happy. Normally she would have been replaying the masked ball over and over until she woke up, dizzy and nauseous. Not tonight in Toby's arms, though. Her subconscious brought back the memory of the teddy bear…

_*Flashback*_

_Spencer exited the doors to Rosewood High for the first time following Mona's divulging and headed towards the sidewalk. A familiar truck caught her eye. _

_Incredulously, she asked, "Toby? What are you doing here?"_

_Considerate as ever, he helped her in and replied, "I figured you'd be a little…overwhelmed after school, so we're going somewhere."_

_Spencer's hand immediately shot towards the door. Her heart raced. "No, please Toby." She began urgently. "Where are we going?"_

"_Spencer. I know you've been through more than anyone should, and I know it's scary to elt people in, but you told me not to shut people out and I listened! So please, Spence, trust me. You have to learn how to trust again!" After his little_ _recitation, he slipped Spencer's hand into his own and met her gaze. She looked so, so afraid but said nothing else so he started up the truck and drove. Not even ten minutes later, they arrived at the Rosewood Mall. Without talking, the couple got out and entered a toy store. _

"_Really, Toby?" Spencer puzzled. _

_He just grinned. "You'll see!" He led her over to the stuffed animal section and instructed her to pick out a teddy bear. Needless to say, she objected. _

"_Toby, come on! This is stupid. Let's go home."_

_He raised his eyebrows at the sullen girl. "Oh, this is stupid? Stupid like being afraid to come to a mall toy store?"_

"_OK, in my defense you made it sound like—" Spencer started to respond but Toby was not done yet._

"_Scared like being afraid to do anything or go anywhere because you were worried your stalker would lash out? Or scared like breaking up in order to protect each other because someone wasn't at peace with the fact that we were content?"_

_His words rang true and Spencer had soon picked out a small, chestnut-colored teddy bear with a worn red bow around its neck. _

_Toby reached into his pocket to take out his wallet, and right away she protested. _

"_Spencer," he said, gently but in a firm tone. "It's barely five dollars. I'll live. You gave me hope, love, a reason to stay, a truck, and most of all…you. I think the least I can do is give you a teddy bear." He counted these things on his fingers as he listed them. _

_Six minutes later they were back in the truck, Spencer toting a mini reminder of Toby's everlasting love. Nothing else mattered in the world, as long as her bear and her man remained safe._

**I hope you liked it! The flashback part especially was really fun to write. **


	3. Chapter 3

***Hello. In case you haven't noticed, I've re-uploaded this chapter due to some glaring errors I noticed while reading it back. I'm not sure if I will continue this story or start a new one, but do you like the Spencer & Toby "fluff", or should I gear it more towards drama and consolation? Please review and say if you prefer the "fluffy romance" or "hurt/comfort" storyline. Thank you so much!**

**Hi! I'm sorry I didn't update sooner, but I've been trying to come up with a good storyline for this chapter. I hope you enjoy it :)**

***Also, thank you so much for all the kind reviews! I really appreciate each one. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own PLL or Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts**

"I have to say, chocolate is definitely one of my all-time favorite foods," Toby confessed, slyly reaching for a covered spatula from the mixing bowl. Spencer playfully rolled her eyes, but let this obvious action slide.

She watched him lick some of the decadent mixture from the utensil before retorting, "Since when is chocolate considered a food?" She couldn't deny her need to be incessantly right any more than she could deny her Hastings blood.

"Since it tastes better than anything else I've ever eaten!" He replied, his blue eyes twinkling in the light from the fixture overhead. Spencer plucked the now clean spatula from his hands while he furrowed his brows in shock.

"All those years of schooling gone to waste. Opinions versus facts, Toby. Just because _you _happen to indulge in chocolate by the spoonful, does not mean that everyone else shares this hobby."

He brought the last tray of cookies over to the oven and opened the door, a wave of heat rushing to meet him square in the face. After recovering from this, he answered his impatient girlfriend. "First of all, there's a reason I left Rosewood High. We don't all enjoy doing worksheets on how to read people _and_ their writing. Sometimes, going out and living it firsthand is more efficient. And secondly, everyone loves chocolate. It's a known fact."

Sure that he had made his point, Toby grinned in anticipation of Spencer's response to their friendly debate.

"You know, Emily didn't eat chocolate for all of third through sixth grade. It took her three years to come to her senses." Spencer changed tactics, using a cool tone and bringing up a valid example.

"So you admit that everybody should love it!" This was Toby's initial comeback, until her comment registered with him. "Emily didn't eat chocolate? Why?"

She smirked at sparking his interest, and said, "Nobody knew. She just stopped eating it one day, and didn't seem to miss it."

Toby looked genuinely taken aback. "That should be a crime! And you, I must admit, would make an excellent lawyer if you weren't on my side."

Spencer laughed, and said, "What does that even mean?"

Passing her a handful of chocolate chips, he spoke, "It means that while your argument was logical and supported, it was clear that you are fully on team chocolate."

Tossing some of the candy into her mouth, Spencer stifled a chuckle. "Please tell me you did not just say team chocolate!"

"Hey, it's been a long week. Remind me again why we're awake at 10:30 at night making delicious _chocolate _cookies?" Toby inquired, emphasizing the object of importance.

Melissa's baby shower was the following day and her sister had promised to bring dessert, which consisted of cookies drizzled in a chocolate concoction. Since the Masquerade Ball, and Maya's death, Melissa had actually approached Spencer and asked for her forgiveness. This was, of course, not granted until the eldest Hastings daughter came clean. It turned out that Garrett was Taylor's dad. Subsequently to making a scene over Ian, Melissa was too embarrassed to reveal that it wasn't possible for him to be the father, and that it was in fact Garrett who she had conceived the unborn Taylor with. She hid this from Spencer by using a façade of intimidation and secrecy, which didn't work too well as all it did was increase Spencer's suspicions that her sister was her stalker. Relieved to learn that the image was just an attempt at concealing Garrett, Spencer let go of her past and became civilized with Melissa.

With a few short weeks until the birth of Spencer's niece, she had been asked to come to the shower along with cookies, which she had dragged Toby into making with her. He would also, much to his dismay, be attending the event.

"So you can eat them?" This was Spencer's feeble try at looking past the fact that neither of them was comfortable with this baby shower.

To alter the subject, Toby brought up Taylor, or the 'demon fetus' as the girls had once called her. "Are you excited to be an Aunt?" He asked, piling up all the used baking implements and depositing them in the sink.

Spencer sighed and started to clean off the kitchen counter with a wet washcloth. "I am. I really want to see…what it's like to be a good parent."

"If we had a baby…" Toby began, his voice playful and alluring, "you would always make sure they were safe. Not to mention be caring and generally sweet…" He was such a romantic!

"And you would make sure that I didn't go insane, just like now." She smiled softly and put her arms around his neck. As if on cue, a crash ensued just outside the Hastings' House. Although Mona had been safely locked up, Spencer's heart dropped to the floor and her blood must've frozen.

It had been two long months since the Ball and the girls had, surprisingly, been recovering. Spencer was understandably shaken that she had been the one trapped in an accelerating car with the lunatic. Hanna felt betrayed, and for good reason. Emily was heartbroken over Maya but starting to let people in. And Aria, well—she was in disbelief. All of them were!

Upon hearing the noise, Toby instinctively put himself in front of Spencer to protect her from any impending trouble. To her horror, the door handle turned, and in walked…or, stumbled, Wren. A very intoxicated Wren, clearly not the best doctor the hospital had to offer.

Spencer mused for a moment about how the man of her ex-fling always seemed to be drunk. This was, she noted, possibly the third time he'd shown up at her house in an unfit state. It was almost a tradition, but not a ritual Spencer wanted to prolong.

She and Toby both tensed as Wren clambered towards them in the kitchen.

"Spencer!" He slurred, making a grab for her hand but missing by a foot. She yanked her arm away from him and Toby tightened his grip on the nearest chair until his knuckles had turned white.

In a cold voice, she spat, "go away. We don't ever want to see you again."

"But you came back to me—when _he _left you!" Wren turned his glare to Toby, lifting a finger to point at him so there was no confusion as to who left Spencer.

"He left to protect me!" She shot back.

Wren sneered. "Oh yes, I heard all about Mona!" His stupid British accent made him sound, if possible, even more ludicrous than usual. Spencer clenched her fists, but it was as though Wren had tunnel vision. He only had eyes for the girl, completely oblivious of her boyfriend guarding her from him.

With a sad expression, she said, "Wren, I love Toby. Goodbye." Her tone was gentler than one would have assumed she'd use in this situation.

Unfortunately, Wren was not so easily moved. He pressed on, "I can keep these monsters out of your life, Spencer." He took a step forward, and she arched into the counter behind her to avoid closer confrontations.

Pained, she responded, "You're becoming one of the monsters. The best way to get rid of them is for you to leave."

He was nearly laughing now. "What are you doing? Listen to your heart!"

This had become all too much for Toby. He stepped up, deadpanning, "She is! And she said no." His voice was stone cold. Spencer saw that things were quickly getting out of hand, but before she could intervene, a particular scent floated up and hit her innocent taste buds.

"The cookies are burning!" She cried, hastening over to the oven—which was now emitting clouds of smoke into the air. It was only a matter of time before…

_BRING! BRING! BRING! BRING!_

The smoke alarms whined in displeasure. Toby, who had gone from watching anxiously as Spencer dealt with the burnt cookies to panicking over the alarm, went into full-carpenter mode. "Ladder?" He called.

"Over by the radiator!" Spencer returned, opening the kitchen's side door to let the cool evening air clean out the smoke. He retrieved this and in a flash had turned off the patronizing item and folded the ladder back up. His girlfriend sighed in relief while Wren just stood clumsily in the kitchen, falling over himself as a result of intoxication. She took the singed cookies and placed the tray on the stovetop. To be honest, Spencer welcomed the pandemonium that ensued. It was a good excuse to exit the awkward engagement she was trapped in with her past and current lovers. Truth be told, she never really loved Wren, but he refused to admit this.

Once the smoke had let up, Toby and Spencer turned back to the imposition in the house. "You know I'm in love with Toby. This isn't a possibility. It never was, and you always knew that. Thanks for stopping by, but you should really go home. Oh, and Wren? You should also stop making late night trips to the bar. It doesn't flatter you to be drunk." Spencer's little speech impressed Toby, and he raised his eyebrows at her but said nothing.

"I should…I should probably go," Wren suggested. He showed himself to the door he broke in with, and let it slam behind him. He was hopefully walking to his apartment, because he would not be accepted at work if he came in the next day with a DUI.

Toby turned around to face Spencer and grinned. "I think that's the last we'll see of him."

"Thank goodness. Sadly, it will also be the last we see of these cookies!" She replied, lacing her fingers with Toby's. He walked her over to the stove and picked up a charred cookie drizzled in hardened chocolate. When he bit into it, the entire treat crumbled to the floor. Spencer laughed and peeled a lone chocolate chip off the tray, popping it into her mouth.

"Alright, I'm definitely counting chocolate as one of my favorite foods," she reluctantly divulged.

Smiling, Toby said, "I knew I could turn you around. And besides, we've got enough cookies for Melissa's shower already. These were just extras…but we'll have to settle for doing something else."

He pressed the button on an old stereo Spencer hadn't even realized was present, and made the first song he heard louder. As cliché as it was to dance their troubles away, they did.

_Every long lost dream led me to where you are  
>Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars<br>Pointing me on my way into your loving arms  
>This much I know is true<br>That God blessed the broken road  
>That led me straight to you<em>

***Thanks for reading! Just to get closure with one of the most manipulative characters on the show, I brought back Wren so he can be put in his place and leave for good! I hope I don't offend anyone British with my comment on his accent. Also, I've been getting lots of comments about my Dr. Sullivan being related to Toby theory. This was just what first came to my mind, and I assumed "stepmother" because he called her Dr. Sullivan instead of "mom", and he isn't very close with his parents. I guess we'll just have to wait until June 5****th**** to see what happens! Filming for season 3 has already begun :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! Here is chapter four of ****Remind Me****. I hope you enjoy it!**

***Just a question, do people want "fluffy" chapters or more dramatic, consoling ones? I am trying to find out which direction to take this story in. If you prefer one or the other, please review and say which! Thank you so much :)**

***I don't own Pretty Little Liars or Arms by Christina Perri**

_I hope that you see right through my walls  
>I hope that you catch me 'cause I'm already falling<br>I'll never let a love get so close  
>You put your arms around me and I'm home<em>

"That is so depressing," Spencer muttered as she switched the radio off.

Spencer sifted through piles of clothes tossed carelessly onto her bedroom floor. Since she and Toby had decided to make a permanent move into the Hastings' barn, she was transferring her things to avoid twenty trips a day just to get dressed. Toby sat on her bed, tracing one of the posts lightly as she made her agonizing decisions.

"Why would anyone even buy this in the first place?" She exclaimed, clearly frustrated. Toby laughed lightly, to Spencer's puzzlement.

Gently, he said, "you bought that. Like…last month. Right before you told me it was the best shirt any store in Rosewood had ever sold."

She sighed indignantly. "OK, maybe that did happen. But horses? Why is it that every shirt I own has horses on it?"

Toby hopped off the bed and sat down next to Spencer on her carpeted floor. "As productive as this is, and as little experience with clothes as I have, I think it'd be better if I helped you." He raised a pair of red jean shorts and proclaimed, "for starters, this has got to go."

"Oh! Those are Aria's! I've been meaning to return them it's just…" she stopped short, and Toby understood. Spencer hadn't seen Aria near as often as she should have. They had different therapy schedules…something about "different experiences with the psychopath". It was another one of the girls' parents' genius ideas. You would think that after being stalked the parents would give them more leeway and let them talk things over together, but instead they had somehow convinced Dr. Sullivan to change her time slots for the girls. Meaning, some would go more often than others. Aria and Spencer didn't have crossing appointments, so it was limited to school and occasionally afterwards that Spencer got to spend time with her friend.

It wasn't like the revelation of –A had injured the friends' relationships, it was how the adults were taking it that had made it hard for the girls to see each other. And Toby knew all about this 'arrangement', so he didn't press Spencer. He laid the shorts on the bed to be returned later.

Next item: a faded rainbow polka-dot pajama tank top. He said nothing, but held it up quizzically.

"What? It's comfortable." Spencer defended herself, her voice rising in denial.

Toby laughed, putting them in the 'to keep' pile. "OK, whatever you say. I try not to mess with the delicate balance of costumes you wear."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked with a mock seriousness. "They are well thought-out outfits!"

He smiled, leaning up against the base of her bed. "You're beautiful." This shut her right up! The couple continued digging through clothes until they had a suitable amount in a box for a week of living in the barn. Before travelling outside though, Spencer walked into her closet to retrieve a last minute object. She was in there for thirty seconds…then sixty…and Toby heard sharp cries. He knelt down beside her body, which was slumped over, leaning against the wall, and noticed a small object clutched tightly in her hands.

Toby covered her hand with his for a moment, and then tenderly pried her fingers away from whatever she was holding. It was a tube of lipstick.

"Spencer, why are you crying?" he whispered, pulling her into a warm embrace. She wrapped her hand back around the item.

In a shaky voice she replied, "That was M-Mona's. From when she—she was in here and…in the closet and put a th-threat on the mirror. She was right here and we, we were asleep! H-how?" Spencer didn't finish her sentence. Her knuckles turned white from grasping the lipstick so tightly, but she figured that letting go would be like losing her grasp on –A.

"She's gone now. It's all over; it's done. You don't have to worry, because you're safe, right?" Toby consoled.

"But it's not over! This is just a sign that they're always here. How many more 'hints' are we going to find before the message is received? It will never end if there's always a reminder!" Her eyes were bloodshot, and the girl who had been carefree and smiling minutes ago was now hysterical.

"Oh, Spencer, you're being paranoid. I know it's scary but even if you find any more, um, messages, they won't be a threat because she's locked up tight. You're panicking for no reason."

She struggled to breathe, drinking in the situation in front of her: her stalker was tormenting her from her asylum, and her best friend/enemy was tormenting her from her grave. Her world was crashing down all around her, and spinning before her eyes. Spencer didn't even notice her boyfriend calling her name anxiously until he shook her slightly to gain a reaction.

"Claustrophobia…let's get out of this closet," he muttered, helping Spencer to stand and walk out of the closet. He sat down with her on the bed.

"Breathe…calm, calm down. Don't make yourself sick, Spence. Clear your mind. Remember?

After a moment of painful silence, he spoke. "You aren't OK. That..." he gritted his teeth, seething over Mona, but not wanting to resort to name-calling. "Anyway, she's haunting you. And it has to stop."

Just then, Spencer's eyes glazed over and she stared at the bedroom wall in front of her. She was not responding to anything Toby said, and he abruptly stood up. It was too late—she had collapsed on the bed, chocolate eyes still wide open.

When she was looking mindlessly before the fall, she had seen words flash before her eyes in a dramatic red font, dripping blood.

_Spencer Hastings is now a person of interest in my death. Breaking news…Spencer Hastings…Death. Spencer…person of interest…murder. Breaking news—_

And that's when the black gloved hand clamped over her and overcame her, a shadow or darkness accompanying it.

**Thank you so much for reading this! I know that the ending was a little darker than what I'd usually write, but I am trying out a more dramatic storyline. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello; I am so sorry to leave you all with a cliffhanger for so long! I hope this chapter is adequate, though. Also, Happy Mother's Day to everyone, mom or not. :)**

***I don't own Pretty Little Liars, the Harry Potter book reference I used, or the song "Forever and For Always" by Shania Twain**

"…as you can see, the post-traumatic stress is playing into Spencer's daily endeavors. Since this is a condition where the re-experiencing of the incident is persistent, it is imperative that she talk about it before she completely shuts down. The event will continue to spark flashbacks and set off dreams, to the point that Spencer will want to avoid stimuli that would trigger the panic. She's a strong girl, so I don't recommend putting her on medication. When she wakes, we can discuss the possible remedies."

The words floated in and out of Spencer's ears. Everything was generally hazy, but she'd had enough of sleep. Her eyes fluttered open and to her surprise, Spencer found herself on a bed in Rosewood's impossibly familiar hospital. She tried to make out more of the conversation, but it was in hushed tones so she couldn't hear it all. Putting a name to the voices, she realized that Toby and Dr. Sullivan were in the room with her. Toby…

Now it came flooding back to Spencer! The lipstick, the threats…the threats. She had seen –A again; the ominous black leather had encased her into hysteria. And Toby had been there too.

"Spencer?" Dr. Sullivan knocked Spencer out of her thoughts. "Good. You've woken."

Toby walked over to the bed and sat down on the chair placed beside it, so that he was nearly eye level with his girlfriend. He put her hand in his and allowed her chocolate eyes to meet his glimmering ones.

"I'm so glad you're awake. You really had me scared there." He was displaying a smile, but there was worry etched on his face.

"I'm sorry that all this is happening, but I know that for every evil in this town, there's a good thing to back it up. You will recover, Spence. I love you." Once Toby had completed his vow of affection, he squeezed Spencer's hand while Dr. Sullivan approached the couple at the hospital bedside.

"How are you feeling, Spencer? It really is nice to see you conscious again." Dr. Sullivan's voice was kind, and not patronizing as another doctor's might have been.

Spencer replied, "OK. It's been kind of…a whirlwind, you could say."

The therapist laughed, saying, "Well, that is understandable. As you may have overheard me mentioning to Toby, your condition, as we'll refer to it, is post-traumatic stress disorder." Spencer, being the overachieving, academically-driven girl that she was, had read about this before. She knew of the statistics, treatments, and studies, but had never dreamed that it would turn into her life. Of course, with –A on her shoulders for most of eleventh grade, Spencer mused that she should've seen this coming.

She gulped. "What can I do?" unfortunately, in her vast research for a psychology class Spencer had taken, she knew in the back of her mind that PTSD was a perpetual condition.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush, Spencer. This is a serious burden to live with, and it likely won't go away. There are most certainly ways to overcome some of the trials that accompany it." Dr. Sullivan began to say more, when a doctor came rushing in, apologizing for his lateness. He had been alerted once Spencer had awoken, she assumed.

Rosewood's hospital. As with Wren constantly arriving at the Hastings' House drunk, Spencer and the girls found themselves making trips to the hospital every month or so. Also like Wren's unseemly visits, the emergency room was a place that no one in Rosewood wanted to know the inside and out of by memory. As their luck would have it, there was always someone being hit by a car, or hitting someone with a car, or some –A related drama involved with hospitals for the girls. Spencer had hoped that this 'tradition' would dissipate like the threat of their stalker, but as she found her blood being drawn as her therapist watched solemnly, she realized that her hospital days were far from over.

The gruff voice of the doctor broke Spencer's train of thought. "It looks like you just had a fainting, or dizzy, spell. Have we got this under control, Anne?" He turned towards Dr. Sullivan, fixing the stethoscope dangling from around his neck.

"Yes, thank you very much Dr…" She gestured to his nametag, which was labeled by an illegible scribble.

The man chuckled, and reached out a hand to her. "Morris."

Dr. Sullivan shook his hand, repeating, "Dr. Morris. And is Spencer free to go as soon as her papers are completed?"

"That's what I'm told. I trust you'll dispatch Spencer whenever need be?" he replied, almost halfway out the door by now. Dr. Sullivan confirmed this and the room again was silent, with Toby and Spencer's psychologist as her only company.

Dr. Sullivan cleared her throat. "As I was saying, you should continue therapy. It seems to work better for you to not internalize things. You should consider relaxation techniques, and mind-blocking ones."

"Excuse me?" Spencer asked, not quite sure she had heard correctly.

"Have you read the Harry Potter books?" Now Spencer was completely lost to the words she was facing.

She responded, "Yeah, in the fifth grade…why?"

"Then you'll recall the term occlumency, I presume? This helps prevent the PTSD from creeping in on you and, well, consuming you. Sorry for the reference; it's what I tell the younger patients and it seems to work!" Dr. Sullivan apologized, standing up from the metal chair she had been residing in. She pulled a pamphlet out of her purse and held it out.

"This should explain a little better. I've got a meeting soon, but call if you need anything. I'll see you in two days, right?"

Toby intercepted the information and thanked Dr. Sullivan. Spencer offered up a weak smile—still in shock. The therapist turned to walk out of the room, but stopped abruptly in the doorway.

"You're going to make it through this, Spencer. I've seen a lot of cases—ones not as bad as this, with '—A' and everything, where people just crumble. I don't mean to put any pressure on you, but you kids have a…bond. You're lucky to have a caring guy like Toby, and he's lucky to call you his. The same thing goes for you and the other girls—you're lucky to have each other as friends. But, you already knew that." She flashed a smile at the bedridden girl and proceeded out of the hospital.

Toby smiled down at Spencer, who still appeared dazed. Her eyes flitted up to look at him directly. He kissed her cheek and instructed his girlfriend to get some rest so she could go home soon, and she obliged. Not five minutes later, the drowsiness of her medication won Spencer over…

***__

_…In your heart  
>I can still hear a beat for every time you kiss me<br>And when we're apart  
>I know how much you miss me<br>I can feel your love for me in your heart_—

_'Cause I'm keeping you forever and for always  
>We will be together all of our days…<em>

"Hanna!" Aria hissed, nudging her friend pointedly. "Would you get that?"

Hanna made a deal out of pressing 'talk' on her cell phone and swooped out of the room to take a call on the device. Aria sighed; glancing over at Spencer's sleeping form to ensure that Hanna's enthusiastic ringtone hadn't bothered her.

Once she was satisfied that Spencer wasn't about to wake up, Aria tiptoed out to check up on Hanna, whose phone conversation had gone silent minutes prior.

"Han?" She called softly. Hanna was staring blankly at the wall with an awed expression on her face.

"He's coming back, Aria. For good. Caleb's mom is moving to Rosewood with the rest of their family."

Aria rushed to encase Hanna in a hug. "That's great!" she squealed. Her friend smiled, still disbelieving, and replied.

"I know. It's…we can finally have a life in this town. Without anyone—anything—trying to break us up."

The two girls walked back into Spencer's hospital room, sporting grins. To their shock, she was sitting up on her bed, propped up by starched-white pillows.

"So, I guess we woke you…?" Aria asked in an apologetic tone.

"Nah. I've been sleeping all day anyway. The last I remember, Toby went to go get something, but he said he'd come back. Were you guys here long?"

Hanna was the first to answer, saying, "Not really. Emily's going to be here after she swims. Something about 'staying in shape no matter what' and 'college'."

Spencer's face lit up as she said, "good for her. And you—I heard your rave on Caleb!"

She blushed, looking down at the floor. "Oh, you heard that?" Hanna inquired, reached over to pick up a stray magazine from the tiles beneath her. Once she had placed it on the bedside table, she said, "I'm so excited. Weekends were like, the only free time we had, and now he won't have to fly to California and back every other one!"

Just then, Toby lightly rapped the slightly ajar door with his knuckles. "Am I interrupting something?" He called. He got the go ahead and entered the room, carrying two steaming cups of what seemed to be coffee.

"Hey Hanna; Aria," Toby addressed the other girls, leaning down to kiss Spencer's temple. Instantly, her mood brightened.

"Did you sleep OK?" He puzzled, setting the drink marked 'S.H.' next to her and taking a sip out of his own cup as he sat on a spare cot from the next room, that had been moved into Spencer's.

"Surprisingly, yes," she replied, picking up the coffee. "Thank you, by the way. You have good taste," she laughed, referring to the drink in her hand.

Aria piped up, "I hate to break up your—conversation—but what is it exactly that Dr. Sullivan told you? On the way in here we saw her and she mentioned something about PTSD and Mona?"

Hanna cringed, and Aria put a hand to her shoulder consolingly. Mona revealed that Hanna was the one to blame for the –A threats, and even though the other girls refused to believe that it was solely her fault, it was palpable that Hanna felt guilty.

Spencer sighed. "She said I have post-traumatic stress disorder, as we all probably will, but since I was in the car with her…" Spencer's voice trailed off and she cleared her throat, glimpsing at Hanna. "She said we still all have to go talk with her, which is understandable, but I have to somehow learn to 'foresee panic attacks and learn how to block them out.'"

"What really happened before you…fainted?" Hanna queried, speaking for the first time since Toby had come into the room.

Spencer looked at Toby, wearing a pained expression. Gently, he said, "well, I was there, so…"

"I guess you all remember when –A—Mona—drew in lipstick all over the mirror by Spencer's closet?" Once the stalker's secret was revealed, Spencer had spilled everything about the girls' journey in a night of confessions and stories with Toby, which is why he knew all about the '-A game'.

Hanna and Aria nodded their heads in acknowledgement, and he continued. "Um, apparently she forgot the lipstick, and…when it was found, it brought back memories."

Worriedly, he whispered something the other girls couldn't hear into Spencer's ear.

"No, no, it's fine," she responded. Hanna and Aria looked at each other questioningly, but said nothing.

At that moment, Dr. Morris poked his head in. "Ah, good! Spencer, you're awake." He walked into the room and held out a clipboard. "I have your release papers here, with specific instructions from your therapist. She asks that you go to see her tomorrow, but that doesn't really concern me. Any questions?"

"Actually, I do have one," Aria admitted, turning her head to face the doctor. "If she faints again, what should we do?"

"OK, let's see. If the fainting spell is initiated by something serious, like hyperventilation, or Spencer is able to recognize the symptoms, then you should either call us at the hospital or take her here. If it seems, and I hate to say this, but more 'peaceful', then you should do the standard: cool washcloth, loosen clothes, and all that."

"Thank you," Aria said. Dr. Morris gave a nod of his head and bowed out of the room. Spencer slowly crawled out of the bed and steadied herself on the headboard when trying to stand. Toby signed the last of the papers and the teens of Rosewood processed out, dropping off the papers with the secretary at the front desk of the hospital.

Aria and Hanna, who had driven separately, bid the couple goodbye as Spencer and Toby walked towards the truck.

"Toby, thank you for taking me here, and taking care of me." Spencer's voice cracked slightly, midsentence, a sure sign that her emotions were on the verge of breaking through.

"Hey, it's OK. And I always will—take care, I mean. It really, really isn't right that you have to go through this, and I don't like seeing you—in a trance, or not breathing, over a psychopath. Who, by the way, is locked up for good."

Spencer smiled and opened the door to the truck's passenger seat.

"Now maybe I can get some sleep tonight. You are staying, right?"

**There was chapter 5! I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you to everybody who reviewed or favorited this story—it seriously makes my day! Also, thanks to **_**Alliecrho**_** for suggesting "fluffier" chapters. I promise there will be happy times ahead! I've actually got an idea, so hopefully I can update soon. **

***As a side note, did anybody see the 3x01 and 3x02 promo? Less than a month until PLL!**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Finally**_**, this next chapter is up. Maybe now that summer is in our grasp, I'll get a handle on this procrastination. I thought that I'd better update before Season 3 started…and here it is: the next installment of ****Remind Me****. **

**In addition, thank you so much for all the reviews and kind words about this story! I will continue trying to make it better and better. Also, Happy PLL Premier Day!**

"Spencer, it's 'if I _ain't _got you!" Toby repeated for what appeared to be the tenth time in one day.

"And I'm telling you, it**should** be, "if I _didn't have _you." She retorted confidently, pausing to pull her curled locks up into a ponytail.

Toby smirked, replying, "It's past tense, Miss 'Summer School!'" Sensing that he had won the musical battle, he propped his arms behind his head and lay back down next to Spencer.

"Well," she began, "'_if I don't have you', _then. But the literal translation sounds so bad!"

He chuckled, making the deathly decision to further tease her. "What a choice adjective, Spence."

Spencer sighed dramatically, saying, "I love you, but you're wrong."

"Art is abstract, and we'll leave it at that." This was undoubtedly the best move to initiate—leaving each one thinking they had been victorious.

Toby rolled over on the bed and retrieved an object. It was a lazy summer Saturday, and Rosewood's picturesque couple was choosing to spend their time indulging in each other. The months leading up to the girls' senior year were drawing to a close, and Spencer had vowed to soak up every possible moment she could with Toby, because once school started, she knew it would be a little more complicated. He would have to work full time construction jobs, and she'd be in preparation for college. For a Hastings, this was no easy feat. Not to mention, the imbecilic pranks revolving around –A had already begun. The lack of maturity among the seniors in Rosewood was almost shocking. Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer were receiving anonymous texts signed 'B' and 'C'; or finding plastic toy shovels in their mailboxes with cutout magazine letters taped to them, reading 'We See All,' or something equally pathetic.

Honestly, this childish act didn't bother the quartet as much as the instigators liked to believe. They had seen people die, and been in nearly fatal situations themselves. A sand toy was a welcome change!

Anyway, the two lovers had been inside all day, despite the warm, inviting sun; shooting rays onto them from outside the window. Why? They had concluded that they would rather be cozying up inside together than out in the open for speculation. Still, they had taken a good portion of the day to sit contentedly in a red, plush chair and gaze out at the August scene.

"So, I was looking over Dr. Sullivan's pamphlet…" Toby started, a little nervously.

"Toby, you don't have to. It's just—"

But Spencer was cut off by her boyfriend's gentle tone, saying, "a problem; that we are going to fix."

She exhaled in defeat. "You were saying?"

"Good. It says you should recount what all happened…something about revisiting your past being helpful for your improvement…Spencer?"

She looked up from where she'd been enthralled by the floral comforter on her bed. "Hm?"

Planning the words in his head with caution before speaking them, Toby said, "you never really told me what happened that night. With, uh, Mona. I was barely in Rosewood and…can you tell me now?"

This was, unfortunately for Spencer, true. She had confessed everything revolving around –A to Toby on the night of her revelation, except for finite details of that fateful trip to Mona's Lair. Of course she had spilled about the location of it, and the hotel was immediately searched. Spencer hadn't neglected to tell Toby about Mona knocking her out—hoodie on and all. Yet, after all the divulging of secrets she had done, Spencer hadn't told anyone about the conversation she'd had with Mona at the Masquerade Ball before that evening's chaos ensued. Nor had she enlightened anyone as to how Mona had unveiled herself—she'd saved a drawn out story by summarizing, 'oh, she just walked in donned in black and next thing I know I'm in that car…' And that car. The whole thing, about the gun? Not to mention Mona's kind invitation to jump on the –A Team bandwagon? The mere fact that her father had a gun in the _first _place didn't settle well with her, but imagining that her stalker had been in her house, in the sacred study she was barely allowed in, and stealing murder weapons? The prospect was unbearable.

This was similar to how Spencer viewed the discussion they'd shared at the Ball. Looking back, she realized that Mona must have assumed that the 'superficial layer' Spencer had so cleverly brought up was the –A secret. It terrified Spencer that Mona's relief at not being found out is why she decided to drag Spencer to the middle of nowhere—like an animal preparing its prey; hiding it from everyone else so as to keep it all to herself. Just the thought of the candid 'chat' made Spencer's heart race, and paranoid to no end. But she knew…there was little to no choice: she had to inform Toby of the whole reality, and nothing but it.

"I told you about the tickets to the Ball, right?" She began, knowing full well that she had to start somewhere.

"They just—showed up, at your doorstep? And said she'd, I mean, —A would be there, and revealed then?"

"Yes. Naturally, we went. But— we split up. We said we wouldn't! It was like, the buddy system was all in place and then…Caleb came along. Then Ezra. And Paige."

Gravely, Toby interjected. "I should have been there."

"No," Spencer responded firmly. "We all should have stuck together. But nobody knew—um, anyway…when Caleb came, Mona just, she just popped up, I guess. Hanna went off with him and I was," her voice trailed off as she mused at how much she put at stake with that one conversation.

"I told her what a good friend she was being; to Hanna. And that there was a certain façade she put over, but under it she was," Spencer swallowed, choking out the next words. "a really, really nice person."

As if reading her mind, Toby spoke, "don't beat yourself up. She played you guys like…puppets."

"Funny," Spencer muttered. "That's what we were to Alison. Puppets."

Toby opened his mouth as though he was about to say something, but promptly shut it tightly, allowing her to continue.

"So, like a headless puppy, I followed her. I thought she had a lead on –A. Little did I know, the 'lead' was all in her messed up brain, where she thought it would be fun to turn psycho stalker on us. We entered the—her—lair, and I was so clueless. She left to go outside and I didn't even know. It wasn't until I found sweater sets—_cashmere sweater sets_—that I realized who had been tormenting us. I turned around and—" Spencer couldn't go on. Toby saw the fear in her widened eyes and recognized the breathing pattern she took on when in panic mode. If it was possible to see someone's chest tighten, he swore he noticed this.

Reaching out a hand to take hers in, Toby quipped, "Spencer. It's OK. You don't have to go all at once. Can you breathe?" he was surprisingly calm, considering the recent events of his girlfriend's medical history. Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to freak out, but panicking was a modeled behavior. If someone around you is high strung, there are higher chances of you being sent over the edge.

She slowly nodded her head. In a raspier-than-normal voice she finished the tale. "I turned around and it wasn't Mona. It was –A; I still see them as two separate people. She was in all black and…and I got knocked out: cold. Then I wake up, and all the sudden I'm driving full force ahead in a car with the devil herself, and she's talking about all sorts of threats. She had my dad's gun." Spencer stated this last fact so blatantly that it shocked Toby. Who, to begin with, didn't know that the valiant Peter Hastings was in possession of a weapon!

"The girls showed up and someone threw her over a cliff—maybe me, maybe herself. The police came, and—" Spencer smiled wanly. "You know the rest."

"Yeah. I do." Toby retorted, and all was quiet for a moment. He said nothing more, despite the fact that Spencer had just opened up the most hidden part of her to him.

As the summer sun dipped in the sky, Toby and Spencer still lay in the bed, doing nothing more than breathing in the moment.

Spencer lightly traced the writing etched in Toby's skin where his shirt had ridden up. 901 = free at last.

The black ink not only symbolized the pain he had endured, but his ability to overcome the impossible.

"Toby?" She said suddenly.

"Hm?" He stretched out, as one would do after recently waking up. The light blue T-shirt he donned was lifted even further.

"What does your tattoo mean again?" Normally, Spencer never would have been so forward with a question this personal, but the thought had been nagging at her mind since he'd left on…hiatus. Post-Wren, as she liked to imagine this period.

He was partially taken aback by the comment, but answered her. "That was when _my _Jenna Thing ended. I was free." He laughed softly. "It's funny, what you said about puppets. I had one too. I guess for every innocent person in Rosewood, there's a master, holding our strings."

Too moved by this reality, she didn't take the words to heart. She forgot to fear that everyone in her town was being controlled by a higher force.

"Thank you," she replied; and meant it. This insight into Toby's life was easily comparable to Spencer to becoming Valedictorian of Rosewood High.

It was a day of improvements for the couple. Each had said volumes more than they had said prior to and following the 'incident'. Spencer mused at the how one day she had awoken in a hospital bed to find that she had an emotional disorder, and the next she was starting to be at peace with her past, and her boyfriend was on the same path.

She gingerly put a hand to Toby's cheek and leaned up to kiss it.

"What was that for?" He puzzled, wrapping an arm around the frailty of her body.

"For not being a hypocrite," Spencer stated. "I told you something, and you didn't disappoint. For being here. Plus, I love you."

"In which case," Toby began, ensuring that she was securely by his side, "I love you too."

In that moment, it appeared that the road they were travelling was going off in wonderful directions. Restoration was in motion.

**I hope you liked it! I tried to give Spencer and Toby some sense of progression. They deserve it, after the turns their lives have had. **

**Oh My Goodness, PLL in 2 hours. TWO HOURS! This is too exciting! Does anyone have any last minute theories to place? :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi and Happy PLL Day! I really hope you like chapter 7. Also, happy (almost) summer!**

**As always, I do not own Pretty Little Liars. I also don't own the song In My Daughter's Eyes by Martina McBride OR the song When I Look At You by Miley Cyrus.**

Dr. Sullivan's office. It had been months since tragedy struck, yet the teens of Rosewood still found themselves going there, weekly, as if by habit.

Trying to lighten the clearly dim mood, the therapist smiled brightly and asked, "So, Senior Registration Day. That must have been…invigorating, right?"

Hanna replied, using her newly acquired vocabulary as an aid. "It went down in flames—incineration."

"Oh?" Dr. Sullivan puzzled, concerned. "How so? Aria?"

The littlest liar hung her head. As she had said in the bathroom just hours earlier, in the same shaky voice, "I had a panic attack."

The doctor's eyes widened, but she spoke calmly. "Can you tell me what happened? What you think brought this on?"

Aria recounted the events that had, or rather hadn't, occurred at the high school. "I was—the stall wouldn't shut and there was –A, it _was _–A, walked in circles, just pacing around right in front of me. They got closer and closer and then the steps came up to my stall and the door opened and I…I couldn't breathe!"

Emily put her hand down gently on Aria's, so as to comfort her. The two girls were sitting next to each other on the couch. Over on the wide armchair, it was evident that Toby was trying to quiet Spencer, who was nestled tightly by his side.

Clearing her throat, Dr. Sullivan said, "I am going to make an assumption here—this wasn't real, correct? Normally, in post traumatic situations, the only solution is that the hallucination was figment of the victim's imagination. But, given the circumstances and your case…"

"You think someone was playing a trick on her." Hanna stated bluntly what should have been a question.

"Well, I'm saying that teenagers, as you know, can be cruel…and when they see an open opportunity to get on someone's bad side, often times they'll make the wrong decision and jump."

Spencer intervened. "We, um, didn't think it was real. We came in immediately after it happened, and no one was there." Her voice faded in terms of volume, so it didn't seem as though she were accusing her best friend.

"Aria," Dr. Sullivan began firmly, "when this starts to happen you need to close your eyes. Think of the happiest time in your life. Do anything you can to _stop _your mind from spinning. And now seems like a good time to ask, Spencer? How have you been dealing—with your PTSD?"

Toby squeezed her knee lightly to show that he was, always, there for her.

"I told Toby. Everything." Spencer rushed the words out, bracing for the reaction of everyone.

Hanna, Emily, and Aria looked at each other, with shock very palpable on their faces.

Emily was the first to attempt to talk. "It's just, you're so…guarded!"

Spencer laughed, saying, "I know. I'm trying!" Dr. Sullivan interjected next, imparting the girls with appraisal where it was due.

"Good for you! Sometimes it's hard to unleash the Well, so to speak, but as you know— leaving it blocked will only worsen your conditions. Have you found that opening up has limited the panic within?"

Glancing over at Hanna, Spencer could tell that her blond friend was completely and utterly lost. Maybe she had successfully _effectuated _the task of expanding her vocabulary, but she wasn't quite up to speed with Dr. Sullivan's psychoanalyzing and metaphorical speech. She made a mental note to clarify for Hanna sometime after the appointment.

"Somewhat. I just hate the idea of somebody still being able to control us, from inside a locked institution! Maybe Mona can't physically hurt us anymore, but she sure left a lasting memory."

"Like Ali," said Aria, twisting a lock of her hair nervously. She'd been on edge since the registration day incident.

Dr. Sullivan shifted in her chair. The girls had divulged almost everything to their therapist, but Ali was a subject they commonly avoided. They shied away from anything involving the deaths in Rosewood, actually. Emily was still mourning the loss of Maya, but had found ways to cope. Hanna was visiting Mona, who appeared almost dead to her: an ambiguous loss.

Spencer was not too pleased to hear that Wren was _still _out and about their town, but Toby reminded her that as long as he stayed away from the Hastings, it was perfectly fine for him to be surrounded by the unstable.

"Yes?" Dr. Sullivan coaxed Aria to continue.

"She died a year ago, but we can't go a day without thinking of her! Or quoting her, or having a flashback…the good times and the bad."

"Aria, that's what happens when someone dies. Are you familiar with the term, 'they're gone, but still in our hearts'?"

"Of course!" She retorted.

"Alison is still very much alive and with you. Mona, as Hanna pointed out earlier, is the opposite. She's genuinely alive, but not present." The doctor's eyes shot to the clock on the wall.

"I'm very sorry, but we only have five more minutes today. You know I'd love for you to stay, but after this I have a meeting to run to in Philadelphia. Aria, could you by any chance stay? The rest of you may go, and enjoy the last glimpses of summer!"

The soon-to-be seniors all trickled out, making sure to thank Dr. Sullivan. Aria, of course, stayed behind. Spencer began walking past the receptionist's desk and out the door, when she noticed someone was missing. Just then, Toby jogged up beside her.

Spencer looked at her boyfriend quizzically for a moment.

"Where were you? I almost left without an escort," she joked, although her inquiry was honest.

"I just wanted to talk with Dr. Sullivan for a minute. I'm sorry the seven feet you walked were unattended to." Toby's eyes shone as he smiled down at Spencer, as glittering blue oceans.

The couple descended the stairs and headed out into the parking lot, where Hanna was in deep conversation with her mother. When she saw Spencer and Toby she stopped abruptly, and put on a bright, false smile.

"Hey!" She articulated, all too cheerily. Her mom shot her a bewildered glance, which she failed to catch.

"Hi…" Spencer said, slowly. "Where are you off to?"

As if on cue, her bubbly smile disappeared. "Radley," she sighed. "My mom was just telling me…they took her off her medicine."

"What does that mean?" Toby queried, even though he was sure Spencer already had an answer.

Hanna looked up to her mother. "It means that the drugs she was on weren't changing her nature, or affecting her at all. Now, she may or may not be more susceptible to mood swings, or irrational behavior. The doctors called and said they really didn't know what to expect. She might still be silent, but she also might lash out." Ashley Marin, who was always composed, seemed a little flustered.

Spencer was starting to realize how difficult it must be to be a single mom raising a daughter whose best friend was also her worst enemy. She just didn't know it at the time.

The couple bid goodbye and retreated to the truck. About halfway through their return trip to the Hastings' Barn, Toby glanced over and saw that Spencer was unhappily leaning the side of her head against the window.

"Spence?" He prodded gently, ensuring that he always had one eye on the road at all times.

"In my daughter's eyes I am a hero, I am strong and wise and I know no fear." Spencer recited these words almost monotonously.

"What?" Toby pulled over on the side of the street. "You're not pregnant, are you? I mean, I'm not sure how that's possible, but—"

"No. It's a song. Back at Dr. Sullivan's, when we were leaving and Ashley was taking Hanna to see Mona, you could tell she was really concerned with her well being. Sometimes, I know my mom loves me, but you heard her the other day. It was all Melissa, like it's always been. And if it's not Melissa, it's something else that just means 'we don't have enough time for you and your petty _murder problems_!'"

Toby could see how frustrated Spencer was, but he said nothing. His tactic was to let her blow off all of her steam and anger, then reassure her.

"I get that deep down she cares, but would it hurt her to stop for a minute and make sure that this therapy is working? I'd bet she doesn't even know about the PTSD."

The truck was silent for a moment, and she was done.

"First of all," Toby started, putting his arm around her shoulders, "you know your mom wants the best for you. I'm sure if you really asked her to take a break in what she was doing and listen to you, her sympathy would show. Maybe your mom doesn't realize that even though Melissa lost a baby, she already lost her daughter. You told me about the cancer, remember? You all try too hard to be strong. Maybe she's the one who's blocking out trauma in her life. Maybe it hurt her so much to see you hurt by Mona, that she's ignoring it in the hopes that it will go away."

Toby wasn't finished yet, but Spencer's heart was already wrapped around his words.

"You know what else? Even if your mom doesn't realize that she needs to be there in your life, your friends realize it. And I realize it. And we aren't going anywhere."

A single tear ran down her face but Spencer smiled in spite of it. "You're right. Of course…you're right. Maybe I don't need my mom anymore, or she doesn't need me. Or, like you said, she's the one who needs time and therapy. I should focus on the pluses."

Not one to ruin an opportunity to be sarcastic, she added, "Gosh, it's hard being optimistic!"

Toby understood that his master plan had worked, and he started the truck back up.

"Thank you," Spencer was being sincere here, a far cry from the recent sarcasm. Toby could tell that she meant it, and he loved being her crutch.

He loved being there for her when she had no one else to turn to.

_When my world is falling apart  
>When there's no light<br>To break up the dark  
>That's when I, I<br>I look at you_

_When the waves are flooding the shore  
>And I can't find my way home any more<br>That's when I, I  
>I look at you<em>

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Also, thank you so much for all the reviews recently! I really, really do appreciate them. They help me determine whether or not I should continue this story or start anew with another idea. **

**Plus: less than one hour until PLL—I can't wait!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello! Here is chapter eight. Thank you so incredibly much to each and every fantastic reviewer! They pushed me to finish this chapter before episode 4. Everyone is so nice :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own PLL or the song Everything by ****Michael Bublé****.**

The cluster of bells resting on top of the door jingled as Spencer entered The Brew. She winced at the unnecessary noise, but pushed through the clanging range to seek out Toby. Her gaze finally lingered upon a circular table in the back of the coffeehouse, where her best friend was in deep conversation with her boyfriend.

"Is that Emily?" Spencer mused aloud, in a somewhat entertained tone.

Just then, a toddler with blond hair and a toy truck in hand swiftly maneuvered his way around her legs so that she was caught off guard and almost off balance. A frazzled mother flashed an apologetic smile and chased after her son. Spencer waved in return, sensing that the woman didn't need angry bystanders to go with her energetic child. She was sure the mom already had enough on her hands, and made a mental note to wait until after marriage to have children.

Spencer watched as Toby and Emily stood up and moved their chairs away. He pulled in Emily for an embrace, and for the first time since Maya's demise, she smiled. A genuine, happy-with-her-life smile. Spencer grinned, knowing very well that Toby had that effect on people.

Someone knocked her out of her thoughts, saying, "Spence?"

She grinned and replied, "Hey, Em. What brings you here?" Alright, she was aware that the purpose of Emily being there was to talk with Toby. Of course, being a Hastings, she had to pry _just_ a little bit to extract more information.

"Talking with Toby. Your boyfriend is pretty wonderful." Emily joked, which shocked and pleased Spencer at the same time. It was like her friend had had a personality adjustment! She was thankful that Emily had found solitude and a person who she could be around without feeling guilty. Naturally, the girls reassured her time and time again that nothing surrounding the new –A was her fault, but Emily still blamed herself. As though she could control her emotions after her girlfriend was killed!

"Yeah, so I've heard," Spencer responded. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Tomorrow was Saturday, and the girls had made an ultimate decision to hold a 'take our minds off of murder and investigation' Sleepover. Unfortunately, much of the time they had together outside of school was spend either sleuthing or recapping recent threats. It was their Senior Year, and they had finally come to the conclusion that they'd been through enough. On top of that, it wasn't over yet.

"Yep. Sounds good." Emily said as she turned slightly to walk out of The Brew.

Spencer said in return, "See you then!" and watched as her best friend waved and retreated out of the shop. Afterwards, she approached the table where Toby was holding up a book and reading intently.

She cleared her throat slightly and he looked up, smiled at her, but didn't put the book down. Spencer reached for its binding and plucked the piece of literature out of his hands. Quickly scanning the title, she smirked.

"Great Expectations?" She asked, placing an unused straw in the novel as a makeshift bookmark and resting it on the table, before sitting down across Toby.

"What?" He mocked. "You're not the only one who can read classics, you know."

Shifting the conversation, Spencer opted for another tactic. She leaned across the small table and kissed him.

"Hello," She breathed.

"Hi."

"So, I ran into Emily on the way in…" Spencer casually brought this up, fiddling with flower vase on the table in front of her.

As if on cue, the waitress came by. "What can I get you?" She asked Spencer in a friendly tone, her pen poised gracefully above a notepad.

"May I have a black coffee, please?" The waitress seemed puzzled.

"Nothing else, on the table even?"

Spencer was used to people questioning her caffeine habits. "No thank you."

The woman turned to Toby. "Toby? Anything?" Spencer chuckled into her hand. It seemed as though everyone in the room knew him! She knew better than to get jealous, though. Toby was living in this building, or above it, rather. People had a right to be on a first name basis with him.

He politely declined and the couple was able to return to their discussion.

"Yes, we were talking. She needed someone to vent to, I could tell."

Channeling Hanna through the story of her date with Caleb, Spencer spoke. "You're sweet." Apparently, Hanna's boyfriend was not amused by this compliment, but Toby just took it in stride and turned the tables.

"How are you doing?" He inquired, moving his book over to the side as the coffee had arrived.

"Well. Where do I begin? Melissa made my mom take up Garrett's case—I just know it! Either of them will admit it, though, and my dad's on a business trip. Actually, that one's probably a plus. One less person to _not _be on my side." Spencer grumbled.

Before Toby could reply, Spencer added nonchalantly, "Oh, and Jenna's definitely not blind." She then proceeded to take a sip of her coffee and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"That is not nearly bitter enough."

Toby laughed. "Relax!" he stressed, taking her free hand in his. Then his expression turned serious. "Wait, go back a minute. So Jenna is absolutely, one hundred percent, able to see?"

"I'm afraid so."

He slowly drew in a breath. "Me too."

Just then, Spencer's phone beeped, symbolizing a caller.

"Hello?"

It was Aria, asking about details for the sleepover. After they had been relayed to her, Spencer implied that she had to go.

"OK, but where?" Aria asked swiftly.

"I'm on a—" Spencer glanced at the atmosphere and continued, "Sort-of date with Toby."

Aria squealed, and requested one more thing of her before the two girls hung up.

"Sorry about that," Spencer apologized. "She also asked me to tell you thank you…" There was sort of a question in her voice. Since when had all of her friends become so enthralled with her boyfriend?

"She is quite welcome," said Toby. He noticed her chocolate eyes staring into his soul, so he supplied an answer. "At Dr. Sullivan's the other day, when Aria was kept behind, I wanted to see how she was. She told me a little bit about her nightmares."

Aria's nightmares? That was a new piece of information for Spencer. She ignored this for a moment, though, and said, "Look at you, helping everyone in Rosewood. In fact, between Aria, Emily, and myself…the only person you haven't aided from trauma is…Hanna."

It was Toby's turn to clear his throat. "I'm sure Caleb has that covered."

"You _are_ wonderful," Spencer said, much to his surprise.

As fate would have it, the barista decided to turn up the radio…

_And in this crazy life_

_And through these crazy times  
>it's you, it's you, you make me sing…<br>You're every line, you're every word,_

_You're everything_

**Thank you so much for reading! I hastened to finish this before the episode aired, so I couldn't match a song perfectly to fit exactly how wonderful Toby is for helping all the girls out, but I hope this sufficed. **

**40 minutes!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi! I'm very sorry to have stalled in updating this story. I hope you like this chapter, though! I needed an excuse to finish it up (procrastination is evil, generally) and since today is Keegan Allen's birthday, I thought it was the perfect opportunity! I get way too excited that I was born a day after him (though different years, of course.) Also, Spencer and Toby are not going to have a happy next episode, so that contributed too. Anyway, please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PLL or the Power of Love by Celine Dion**

"Gosh, I can't remember the last time I saw _this_," Hanna said sarcastically.

"Um, fourth grade?" Aria inquired, giggling as Spencer tossed a pillow her way.

Spencer cleverly retorted with, "I'm choosing to assume that you are referring to this innovative work of art in a nostalgic manner as opposed to remarking upon its childlike whim."

The three girls that surrounded her in the Hastings' Living Room all froze in their actions, with their mouths agape, staring at the mouth that had just spoken. It was finally the night of their much-deserved and needed sleepover, and the seniors wanted the evening to be as stress free and careless as possible. No one would admit to making the decision, but the chosen movie for the night was _Willy Wonka_; the original. Hanna, Aria, and Emily had spent most of the film denying their love for the candy filled world, but it was Spencer who strangely supported the idea.

"You said what now?" Aria puzzled, her voice shooting up octaves as she tried to figure out what her friend's words meant.

Emily cut in, saying, "I think our college English professor here is trying to say 'although this movie is designed for children, it has some, um, novelty appeal!'" She laughed as Aria entered an even deeper state of confusion.

"More like, 'shut up and watch the movie!'," Spencer corrected, displaying a smug smile. "But college English professor—I like that!"

"Ugh, can we please not mention the 'C' word?" Hanna appeared to be absolutely revolted.

As the movie's ending credits began to play for the second time, Aria picked up the remote and expertly turned the device off. "It won't be that bad?" She offered, unconvinced.

Hanna gave her a hard glare, and added, "I'd rather talk about the movie we just had to watch and write a book report on it than discuss school."

While the other girls stifled laughter, Emily gently said, "um, Han? You can't…you can't do a book report on a movie. It's the wrong media you're thinking of."

Hanna looked genuinely confused. "I always did. Who reads the book when there's a condensed version with musical numbers?" She realized how unintelligent her comment must have seemed, and continued speaking. "I mean, we don't all enjoy singing orange dwarfs, but it's way quicker than reading a book." She threw a pointed look at Spencer, then Emily, who had taken a liking to the movie about halfway through.

"Shut up!" Emily laughed and pitched the nearest thing at Hanna's head. As a pair of shorts nearly missed her, she huffed.

"Those are my favorite! They were _on _sale. And I'm just thinking about how interesting it is that _Willy Wonka_ can bring even the strongest of high schoolers to their knees. Don't you agree, Aria?"

Aria, who had previously been painting her own nails a shockingly vibrant shade of fuchsia, was slow to reply. "It's kind of a classic film, granted that it _is _designed for younger minds."

"What is it about this movie that amuses seventeen year olds so much?" Hanna pondered aloud.

"I'm not going to lie, it grows on you," Emily admitted. Spencer wore a victorious expression. Hanna raised her hands in defeat and Aria snatched a bottle of nail polish peeking out of one of the girls' bags.

"Oh my gosh, lime? You are so all getting flowers!" She was, of course, referring to her own ability to turn the brightest of colors into works of art on the mere surface of nails.

Spencer sighed. "And now, maybe I do feel like I'm back in fourth grade." But, having no room to speak, she placed the _Willy_ _Wonka_ DVD back into its case and retreated to the couch.

"Hey, guys?" Emily called softly. The other girls lifted their heads from pillows and propped themselves up.

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if Mona had…_had _killed someone that night? After the Masquerade Ball?" An eerie silence filled the room. After Mona was arrested, and Maya was found, everything in Rosewood seemed to move so fast. Months later, the four girls were only just bringing up questions about the fateful night.

Aria was the first to divulge. "It's scary to think about. She had a gun. It's weird, knowing that she's locked up now, because on that night she was the most dangerous villain."

"I would have died."

Spencer's words were undeniably true. "I could have died," she went on, "if you hadn't come, she would've pulled the trigger. I didn't have any power. _Any_."

Another pause ensued, and Hanna spoke up. "I don't think she would have. I'm not defending –A _or_ Mona, but she was—is—crazy, not homicidal."

"Hanna. She ran over you. With a car." Aria was adamant. "You were her best friend! There's no telling what she would've done to us!"

Emily intervened. "I can't imagine waking up to that. Spencer, you…I would have let her kill me. I wouldn't know what to do."

Spencer knew that Emily was in no way suggesting that she should have given up, but the thought shook her. It seemed to faze Aria as well, who kindly (as always) proposed that they go to sleep. Visions of a black-hooded body swirled in her mind, and unsettled her infinitely.

A sharp whisper jolted Spencer from her sleep. She gasped and sat up startlingly fast, only to find that it was just the wind. When her eyes had adjusted, the digital clock blared that it was three hours past midnight. She stood up and went into the bathroom to find and take medicine for her pounding head.

Leaving the door slightly ajar, Spencer busily searched the cabinets in the bathroom for something to alleviate her spinning thoughts. Instead of painkillers, she came up with sleeping pills.

"And why hadn't I thought of this earlier?" she whispered aloud, somewhat angrily.

As she was twisting the cap open, while simultaneously squinting her eyes to read the number of pills to consume, footsteps rang in her ears. She whirled around and almost immediately a barely-five-feet shadow appeared. The girl put a hand to her wildly beating heart when Aria emerged sheepishly.

"Hey, Spence," she called softly. "Um, are you okay?"

Spencer ran a trembling hand through her sleep-disheveled hair. "I, th-ink s-so," she stuttered, still shaky from the sudden paranoia at three in the morning.

Aria leaned against the bathroom's doorframe and let out a heavy sigh. "I couldn't sleep, I was just…thinking about what the other girls said about Mona. You don't _want _to die, do you?" she finally rushed out.

"Oh, no!" Spencer was quick to defend her sanity. Dryly, she added, "I'd just like to, you know, go to sleep and not wake up in a cold sweat and worry about what to tell my therapist about our stalker!"

"Valid point."

"It's like, everything I see, or feel, or hear, is going to turn into –A and chase me into a corner." Spencer couldn't believe that she was telling Aria this. She loved her friend with all her heart, but it wasn't in her Hastings' nature to openly let herself be seen as crippled, in any way. She also felt a need to protect her tiny friend, especially when she, apparently, was suffering the repercussions of Masquerade Ball Trauma.

A branch cracked outside and both of the girls jumped a little. "I think I know what you mean!" Aria said earnestly. "Anyway, I think I'm gonna try to sleep again. Hey, are you taking those?"

Spencer, who seemed suddenly distracted by a thought, let the bottle of pills clatter to the sink. "Actually, I guess not. These never worked for me before." She was referring to her younger days when she had tried fitfully to fall asleep in order to wake up at insane hours to study for whatever the test of the day was. Come to think of it, medicine had rarely had a positive effect on Spencer, as though she were immune to it. Why hadn't she realized this in the first place, when she was unscrewing the sleeping pill bottle?

Spencer shook her head, and her eyes met Aria's concerned ones.

"Do you—want me to, uh, get your parents…?" She inquired, pointing a finger towards the hallway.

Peculiarly dizzy, Spencer indicated a 'no' with a shake of her head. "Goodnight," she murmured to the suspicious girl in front of her.

When Aria left, Spencer broke down. There was no specific cause, just stress, like the doctors had warned. Breathing didn't seem to be vital to her at the moment, and she focused all of her attention on the clock on the wall, entranced, as it ticked slowly; slowly…

Spencer gasped for breath. "What?" She cried, but nobody heard. Aria had probably shaken off her suspicion and gone to bed, like Hanna and Emily had already done.

She caught sight of her cell phone on top of medicine cabinet. With little ability to move, she exerted great effort to pick it up. She scrolled to 'T' and clicked the 'text' option by her boyfriend's name. Her fingers were poised above the keyboard, but she hesitated a bit too long. Spencer sighed and released the phone. She sat down on the closed toilet seat and collected herself.

"Stop it!" She commanded. Her handy pamphlet from Dr. Sullivan read that since _you _are in control of your emotions and your brain, you have the power to stop an oncoming panic attack. It was amazing how the power of one word could affect someone's medical trials, the therapist had said.

She gulped down impending sobs and slowly breathed. This was not the first time having an attack since the major incident, so she and Toby had trained for this, as silly as that may seem.

Toby!

Spencer tiptoed out of the bathroom and into the living room where she uncovered the couch's cushion and retrieved a blue file folder. An endearing, baby blue, much like Toby's caring yet enthralling eyes.

As she opened the folder and familiar words were unveiled, she felt a strange and overwhelming sense of calm, peace, tranquility…everything good that she hadn't experienced since –A had entered her and her friends' lives. She traced the letter Toby had written her. Yes, the hidden folder contained a sole page, but it meant more to Spencer than any college acceptance letter, any honor roll or valedictorian notice, and certainly any newspaper clipping from Rosewood's writers— who seemed to live to torture Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily.

"I'll always be here."

"When you need a hand, you know where to find me."

"Security."

"You don't see it, but I do."

"Beautiful."

Spencer smiled at the item in her hands. What had been veering on panic was now replaced with love and affection for Toby.

Her heart was still racing, but she ignored the adrenalin rush. The tightness in her chest was, if leisurely, dissipating and she could breathe without choking or becoming sick.

A song played in her thought as she returned the folder to its secret nook, and as she walked down the hallway and slipped into her sleeping bag, the song became increasingly relatable.

_Lost is how I'm feeling lying in your arms  
>When the world outside's too<br>Much to take  
>That all ends when I'm with you<em>

_Even though there may be times  
>It seems I'm far away<br>Never wonder where I am  
>'Cause I am always by your side<em>

Just then, Hanna rolled over in her sleep and dramatically flung her arm over her pillow and declared, "But I want a golden goose _now_!"

**Thanks for reading! Also, a big thank you to any and all reviewers for this story—it means a lot, really. I will try to update **_**much **_**sooner this time around. **

**Plus, and this may seem irrelevant, but did anyone see the Teen Choice Awards? Not only did the cast (sans Keegan, Janel, etc.) present an award, but the show itself, Lucy, Ian, and of course—Troian—all won for their respective categories! Ashley Benson's name was apparently switched to Ashley Brown, but all in all I think it went well!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello! First of all, and I'm sure this gets repetitive, but I am so sorry for not updating earlier! This summer was certainly busier than I thought it would be, and then the fun began again in September (and by fun I mean torture). And then, of course, there was that whole thing about that world I love crashing down and falling in that show that I love. When I first saw it (and for the next week or so) I was so mad and hurt, by the characters and the show's writers, that I was debating forgetting about Pretty Little Liars altogether. **

**Thankfully, Spencer and Toby's **_**unconditional **_**Love is more powerful than a leather jacket or alphabet letter. Therefore, I am continuing to watch and to write this story, although I'm hoping to wrap it up soon and start a new one, which is already being written. If anybody has the need to comment, rant, or rave about the midseason finale, feel free to review and do so. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own PLL (because if I did…) or the song Perfect by P!nk**

"I just don't get why you didn't call me, Spencer. You know I would've picked up!" Toby had been very concerned since his girlfriend had told him of her panicked night under a week ago. He had only recently returned from a well paying construction job in Harrisburg, and she was so relieved to see him that she had to explain why—he'd insisted.

She sighed in defeat. "I know—I know. It's just…this becoming dependant thing. It's not—it's not good."

Toby chuckled. "And apparently, it's killing your vocabulary."

"Very funny," She retorted drily, momentarily letting go of his hand to cross the sidewalk to the nearest trash can, dropping her coffee cup into it. They wouldn't be holding hands were it not for their location—the couple had convened in Yardley, where Toby's former job there had been reinstated after an incident occurred with the original work. His boss had said that the owner of the house they'd built was very apologetic on the phone, and mentioned something about a son and a hammer, leading Spencer to believe that the child had done some major damage to the home for them to have the whole crew come back and redo the job.

Anyway, Spencer had picked Toby up after work and they'd gone to a nearby café for her much needed daily caffeine, eventually leaving their table and opting to walk instead. It had begun with small talk, about Harrisburg and school, but subtlety was never one of Spencer's strong suits and all too soon Toby had questions. She kept attempting to shy away from that sleepover the other night, but Toby was dead set on helping her.

"So tell me," Toby started, veering away from actual details. "Do you think this is working?"

Spencer shot him a funny look, indicating that the 'this' he was talking about held no meaning for her. "Not quite sure…" her voice trailed off as she waited for further explanation.

Clearing his throat in an attempt to be casual, Toby elongated. "You know…the whole doing-everything-we-can-to-keep-Spencer-mentally-stable thing?" He cringed in anticipation, knowing full well that his wording was not so apt.

Her petite hand was yanked from his grip as she paused in the middle of the near empty sidewalk, giving Toby her most menacing glare and folding her arms in front of her chest. She stomped her foot, emphasizing her point.

"I will have you know that this is no joke. It's not _funny _in the slightest to have to avoid some vital parts of living because they cause silly flashbacks because of a chain of events involving my friends and me as live bait! Or, or puppets, even!" Her tone suddenly saddened, and she took a step nearer to the shop windows where Toby was, eyes wide and searching for pity.

"It's just; this was never about threatening us. Mona _killed _Ali, and she killed Maya. This was some sick, twisted bonus shot at complete redemption and there was never a question of who held the power. Even if she hadn't had that gun on that night, we both know she would have run off the road with me. And I have to imagine that no matter how hard we try or work at it, the threat will always remain. You're never safe, and it's something that you can patch temporarily…but nothing is forever—no matter how solid the gates to Radley are."

Another teenage boy might have been fazed by the mood swing or the whimpering girl in front of them, silently begging to be held, but Toby merely reached out and brought Spencer in. He held her close to his heart as she buried her face in his shoulder. One pair of curious children passed by at some point, glancing up at the odd couple and walking away, their heads craning backward to find out all of the emotions playing on Toby's chiseled face.

To innocent bystanders, two little and naïve children, it seemed as though Toby were a brave and strong soldier, consoling a sad, pretty girl—but it would all be okay because by the time they arrived at home and washed up, Mom and Dad would have dinner waiting for them on the table, served with smiles.

But it was so much more than that.

Those kids didn't see the inner struggle that Toby faced, because he wanted nothing more than to protect her and forget that anything bad had ever happened to Spencer, but the rest of him knew that she had to talk about it, to go through a process of grieving and mourning, before she could recover. And there was nothing that he resented more than watching her spiral into depression at the drop of a hat, but that's what he was there for, a source of instant comfort.

To be saccharinely poetic, he was the rainbow after the torrential downpour. He was the calm after the storm, and the night at the end of every day—the morning after every night. He was the beginning of every end. He was Spencer's ultimate reward, the one whom she had fought for to keep and be able to hold, even if saving him meant letting her heart break in two.

As fate would have it, while Spencer breathed into Toby's serenity, a cold drizzle had begun. Without saying a word, he motioned for her to follow him into her car, parked nearby on the side of the street. Out of habit she slipped into the driver's seat, and Toby just shrugged and let her do so, let her live her own life as per the cycle of grief.

Arriving at the Hastings' House proved to be quite difficult, since the rain was now pouring down, beating with the sound of drums on the car's exterior. Once the task was completed and Toby had ushered his soaked girlfriend into the barn, the couple instinctively flopped down on the bed, wet hair and glistening skin and all.

A certain calm had encased Spencer now, and she was ready to talk. "I'm sorry. I honestly don't know how you deal with this…"

Toby tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and breathed, "In Yardley, when you said 'nothing is forever', I had to disagree. Love, Spencer, is forever."

"It can be forever," She mumbled. "But you can't predict the future."

"That's true," he admitted, his twinkling baby blue, ocean eyes delving into her soul with one perpetual look. "But in some cases, when it starts, it only grows stronger. You're focusing on the love that fades away, that fizzles and dies and burns itself out, but you need to see that sometimes, when you put everything you have into something, it can last as long as you need it to, and sometimes longer. Sometimes love is so strong that when you want it to be over, and to stop hurting, it can't. Spencer, I love you, and you _are _safe. You say nothing is forever? I _never_ want to stop hugging you, and Mona is so bound to that hospital, she couldn't get out and do harm even if a whole flock of minions came to Rosewood to assist her."

All of the sudden, and maybe it was the weather, but Spencer started to giggle. Toby suspected it was from buildup—there was so much heavy emotion and sadness in her heart that she burst out to alleviate some of it. "Minions," She rasped, putting a hand to his arm. "I like that. It sounds so…so, friendly, almost."

Nearly as soon as the outburst had been onset, it ended; abruptly. In a small, almost inaudible voice, she replied to his earlier comment. "I love you too." Those four words made both of their hearts flutter, and instilled hope into each of them. She wasn't done, though.

"And to answer your first question: yes. Maybe it will take a long time, but apparently we have a forever ahead of us. I love knowing that you're always here for me, and that I'm not...alone." Here, her voice cracked. She was responding to his initial question of the success of Mission: Revert Spencer. "It all really is helping. And therapy, though vastly underrated, does wonders."

"Speaking of," Toby introduced, mentally flipping to a pamphlet that Anne Sullivan had showed him before smiling and placing it back on its shelf compartment in her office. "Did you know that even though this whole—situation—is so messed up, we're doing something right?" Knowing that Spencer would be puzzled by this, he quickly continued to eliminate confused looks and fast tempers.

"There's a new study out. Couple's Therapy is becoming increasingly beneficial towards PTSD patients, it's along the lines of support systems and equal misery, but essentially—we were ahead of the game." He grinned and Spencer couldn't help but return this gesture, smiling widely up at him. Thunder boomed while the rain never ceased to fall outside.

"You must be pretty pleased with yourself," Spencer noted, clearly amused at his self satisfaction upon reciting this psychological bit. Toby nodded, modestly. "And how, may I ask, did you acquire such information?"

Toby chuckled. "Where else? I was speaking with Dr. Sullivan and she said that there was evident change already, and we were the first in the latest trend of couple's therapy. See? I wouldn't make that up."

"Well I, for one, am certainly glad that it's working." Spencer nuzzled closely to her boyfriend as the lightning cackled outside.

"Mmm." He agreed, staring outside at the periodic flashes of blinding white that lit up the darkened sky. "Spence?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we go on a date?" He said it as more of a statement than a question.

"When…now?" She seemed bewildered, wondering why he was asking her permission to ask her on a date—and when?

"Tonight. We never do, and I think we both need it. I know we can't really go anywhere…since the weather permits _nothing _right now…but we could still make a date of it." Spencer held a stoic glare until he sighed noisily.

"_Yes, _Spencer. This is me, asking you out. On a date." Once everything was as simplified as could possibly be, a response was in order. Spencer and Toby were, perhaps, one of the few remaining couples in Rosewood who valued chivalry—or rather romance even.

"I'd love to! Here, or…?" She offered up the barn, not desiring to go far in the pounding rain. Spencer was also kind of hoping that he could sleep over, and add another pajama shirt to her vast collection.

Toby smiled, the dimple on his chin lending to the sweetness that he already had. "Perfect. This should make for an interesting night."

The smile nearly disappeared from Spencer's face.

_Made a wrong turn, once or twice_

_Dug my way out, blood and fire_

_Bad decisions, that's alright_

_Welcome to my silly life_

_Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood!_

_Miss "No way, it's all good", it didn't slow me down_

_Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated!_

_Look, I'm still around..._

**Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! This is part one of two for this plotline, because I had intended to make it one chapter but felt incredibly guilty for not updating, so wrote the cliffhanger as quickly as possible. **

**Also: thank you SO MUCH to anybody who reviewed, followed, or favorited this story. It is beyond nice and so appreciated. **

**I really hope everyone's hearts are mending from the show, and that this is all a dream. In any event, have a wonderful, free of drama day!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi! This is Chapter 11 of ****Remind Me****, and I hope you like it. It's a continuation of the previous chapter, from the planning of the date to its occurrence. **

***Following the last update, I got a review concerned about this story's plotline. To answer: first of all, **_**yes,**_** I have been watching Season 3 (religiously, as always) and will continue to watch the show when it airs again. I do know that on the television show there is a new –A, but considering this story began as a pro-Toby one, I didn't feel it appropriate to incorporate his new status into it. I chose to ignore the fact that there is still drama in Rosewood following Mona's unveiling, so that the story could focus on Spencer/the other girls' recovery from the initial –A. This story is **_**separate **_**from the show, although I may tie in some dialogue or instances from it into the story. I am in no way insinuating that trouble for the girls is over, because life could never be that easy, could it? I hope that answers your question! :) To reiterate, this is not affiliated with the show's plot and I am aware that there is, in fact, a new –A…***

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pretty Little Liars or the song This Kiss by Faith Hill**

_"_Yes_, __Spencer. This is me, asking you out. On a date." Once everything was as simplified as could possibly be, a response was in order. Spencer and Toby were, perhaps, one of the few remaining couples in Rosewood who valued chivalry—or rather romance even._

_"I'd love to! Here, or…?" She offered up the barn, not desiring to go far in the pounding rain. Spencer was also kind of hoping that he could sleep over, and add another pajama shirt to her vast collection._

_Toby smiled, the dimple on his chin lending to the sweetness that he already had. "Perfect. This should make for an interesting night."_

_The smile nearly disappeared from Spencer's face._

"Define interesting," Spencer challenged, raising an eyebrow nervously up at Toby. There was never a shadow of doubt that he would give her anything shy of respect, but what _had _he meant? As always, her curiosity got the best of her.

And as always, Toby merely had to cup her face and reassure her, "Fun. Pleasant. Interesting means we will have a good time, Spence. Don't be so paranoid." She visibly relaxed, exhaling in relief and moving her cheek down to rest sideways on his chest.

"Got it." She propped herself up on the bed against a mound of pillows, Toby following suit. For whatever reason, though, instead of leaning back he instead swung his legs over the side of the bed and hopped off; turning back around to face Spencer.

"So I'll come back here at eight?" He inquired, a twinkle in his dazzling blue eyes.

She, too, stood up and walked around the bed until she resided about a foot away from her boyfriend. "Wait— you're leaving?" Spencer whined, confused as to his logic.

Toby chuckled. "I'm coming back, Spence."

"But I want you to stay…" She confessed, in a soft as silk voice.

He sighed, saying, "Come on, Spencer. What time is it—five thirty?"

Being her naturally perfectionist self, Spencer promptly replied, "five forty-three," without even looking at a clock. As Aria had once told her, she had an impeccable internal clock. It became useful when she had to wake up early for school, and when she needed to gauge time in between conversations. It was something she'd learned through trial and error with her parents; it was how she'd figured out how to get things that she wanted.

Grinning, Toby reached out his hand and held Spencer's, squeezing it tightly and then releasing it. "See how soon that is? It's barely a couple of hours. Take a nap or something," He suggested.

She met his eyes.

"But then I won't be able to sleep with you tonight—" Her hand flewto her mouth as she gasped, unable to believe that she'd made such a fatal mistake.

"I meant—I didn't mean—I—" She faltered, incoherently trying to form an explanation for her unintentionally risqué wording.

"Spencer." Toby drew her in, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. "I know."

After a few moments, he pulled away and saw her eyes still burdened with worry. Much as he attempted to hide it, he all but burst out laughing, and Spencer's fret quickly shifted to anger.

"Don't laugh at me!" She pouted, crossing her arms. "You know what I meant. You just said so!" Toby found her indignance to be nothing short of adorable. Of course, he just _had _to take advantage of the situation and tease her further. Typical.

"If you didn't want to take a nap, you could have just said..." He started, but she cut him off before he could finish his taunt.

"TOBY!" She snapped, taking a step closer to him. "You understand full well what I meant. Now you may go, and I will be here seething until you return."

"Now, is that before or after we sleep to—"

Upon seeing Spencer's face, Toby stopped talking on his own accord. Her already present blush had deepened into a crimson shade of red, although her eyes narrowed considerably—a trait she seemed to acquire when ready for vengeance.

"This whole conversation started because you wanted to leave, so congratulations; you've got your wish." She spoke so gravely that he was afraid for a sliver of a second, and then pressed on and on like the naïve person that he was.

"Oh, so you're saying this is my fault?" He asked, clearly amused. Toby snaked his arm around her body and wrapped it around her back. She didn't try to push him away—surely a good sign.

She laughed bitterly. "Toby, to save time, let's just assume everything is your fault."

Palpably joking, he cried out in return, "Hey, offensive!"

"But you love me anyway." Her tone was once again triumphant, all traces of embarrassment from her earlier slipup or anger from Toby's behavior gone.

"I do. See you in two hours?"

Spencer nodded and unwillingly let Toby go, watching sadly as he walked out of the barn and off of the Hastings' property. She made a mental vow to be less of a roller coaster emotionalist when he came back, and opted out of a nap and went to take a long, thought provoking shower instead. She was in desperate need of sorting her unyielding feelings, at least enough so that when Toby arrived she was less of an emotional wreck!

*** Two Hours Later ***

By the time that eight o'clock had rolled around, Spencer had showered and dressed, and was currently doing her hair. A low ponytail, she'd decided, was the best fit—although since it was so late she elected to blow dry her hair first. Unfortunately, the volume of the device drowned out any other sounds, so Spencer didn't hear when there was a knock at the barn's door. She hummed:

…_You got me like a rocket  
>Shooting straight across the sky<em>

_It's the way you love me  
>It's a feeling like this<br>It's centripical motion  
>It's perpetual bliss<em>

_It's that pivotal moment  
>It's, ah, impossible<br>This kiss, this ki—_

Just then, the bathroom door creaked open and Spencer's breath hitched, her heart plummeting into her stomach. She dropped the blow dryer into the empty sink below her where it resounded with a clank. Spencer fumbled to turn it off, her chocolate eyes glued to the door as it slowly—too slowly—pushed open.

"Knock knock?" Toby whispered as he stepped into the room. Spencer breathed a sigh of relief, playfully smacking his chest.

"You scared me!" She ran her fingers through her slightly wet hair to further untangle it.

He inched closer to her, kissing her nose and dangling his arms around her neck. "Sorry, Babe. _Someone _locked the door and didn't come out when I knocked at the front…so I took the liberty of stealing your key and breaking and entering."

"How kind," She responded drily. Usually, when one half of the couple was in the barn they left the door unlocked, but in lieu of recent events Spencer had taken to securing herself in as much as possible. Apparently Toby had located the hidden key under the doormat, a classic move. Admittedly, it had been her fault for being out of earshot of the door…

"Oh?" Toby appeared to be pleased with himself. "Did you mean to lock me out then?" Spencer nonchalantly pushed his arms off of her and picked up the brush that was lying on the countertop.

She shrugged, beginning to brush her hair which was now an interesting mix of sleek, near-black strands and wispy, chestnut locks. "Guilty as charged."

He looked positively taken aback, and Spencer saw his puzzled expression and grinned. "I'm _kidding_, Toby. I'm sorry, too. I'll be done in just a minute."

"No…you can take your time. I'll just stand here and admire you…I'll be really quiet. You won't even know I'm here," Toby promised. As said, he leaned against the doorframe and stared at her intently, while Spencer finished brushing her hair and expertly pulled it up into a ponytail. She tucked a stray lock behind her ear and stepped past Toby outside of the bathroom. He followed her into the bedroom.

"So," She began, sitting down on the edge of the bed and swinging her legs in a childlike manner. "What do you want to do?"

He was about to open his mouth and retort, but Spencer was able to foresee his comment. "And don't try to turn this on me—_you _asked me out, remember."

The room was silent for a minute, save a few crickets chirping outside through the screened window.

It was Spencer who helped to eliminate the obvious choice. "And let's avoid a movie." She wrinkled her noise pointedly. "Too cliché."

"Alright, since you're so picky, I'm appointing you to veto or select this activity. We could play…Scrabble."

This was a dangerous move for Toby to make and he knew it. When their relationship was still in the initial blossoming stages, right after Spencer's convictions of Toby being the devil were deemed incorrect, they had engaged in what was meant to be a 'friendly game of Scrabble.' The couple was on a clue hunt and slept over at a motel, spending a night sleuthing, stalling, and trying to avoid the inevitable: falling in love. That attempt didn't last long, however, because that night and the very next morning, Spencer fell head over heels in love with Toby Cavanaugh. It was a milestone in their relationship—first night spent together, first kiss…practically first everything.

It had begun as the two taking a stab at spying on Jenna, but had escalated fast into so much more. Spencer had entered Toby's motel room as completely caffeinated, drowning out her fears of being with Toby and their impending mission in coffee—black, the way she always drank it. She was pulling a hundred and one things out of her magical bag, but all Toby had to do was say her name and her heart stopped beating, stopped fluttering and she obeyed. Instead, the couple opted for a game of Scrabble—Toby yet to feel the wrath of Spencer's sore losing which he did end up enduring.

The word was goofball. _Goofball_. Spencer still couldn't let go of the utter, idiotic simplicity of it but it had somehow managed to beat out the well thought out _glyceraldehyde; _a word that Toby hadn't even known until their match. Once he'd coerced her into playing the game, she thought she was a sure win, but little did Spencer know of the bag of tricks Toby had up his sleeve. She vowed never to play Scrabble with him again after that night.

The next morning, in the motel parking lot, Toby and Spencer recapped their evening. 'A bust', she'd called it. Instead of agreeing, Toby kissed her. And thus that trip became magical for them. He'd had to go and ruin it, of course, by commenting on her lousy Scrabble game, to which she'd become conflicted: was she floating on cloud nine because of the kiss, or livid because of the Scrabble quip? All Spencer knew then, was that they were at the start of something very, very big and _very _long lasting.

Anyway, Toby's idea of Scrabble immediately put him on thin ice in Spencer's book. She gritted her teeth, but Toby still continued to tease her.

"I mean, if you're scared I'm going to kick your ass again…" His voice trailed off as he looked up, eagerly awaiting a response.

"It. Was not. A complete. Ass Kicking. We've been over this a thousand times. One word, Toby; _One petty little word_. I simply refuse to play with you again because you're a sore winner." She divulged, huffing dramatically.

"Wait, _I'm _a sore winne—Spence, you nearly broke up with me the last time I brought it up and I'm the sore one?" He was positively up in arms.

She spoke like it was the most palpable thing on the planet. "Then take a hint, maybe?"

He breathed out, long and slow, and offered up option number two. "Fine. Do you have any _other _board games? That's different from a movie, right?"

Secretly, Spencer's heart was melting at the prospect of spending a night alone, playing board games with her boyfriend. It was much more romantic in her eyes than staring blankly at a screen and contracting migraines from the lighting.

Without speaking a word, she stood up, reaching for Toby's hand. She guided him outside of the barn, shutting the door behind them. They walked the distance through the backyard to the kitchen entrance of the Hastings' Manor and Spencer slid the key from under the doormat in the lock and opened it in no time. Since nobody else was home, (shocker of the year, considering Spencer's parents were _clearly _the parents of the year!) nobody was there to be shocked when Spencer and Toby ambled in, in search of old fashioned entertainment by way of board game(s).

"So, um, what exactly are we doing, in here?" Toby asked, looking around like it was a trick or some sort of booby trap. He definitely would not put that or something like it past Spencer, much as he loved her.

Exasperated, she yanked him down the stairs, flicking on the basement light in the process. "Just follow me!" She led him into a deserted looking playroom, where there was a _hanging bulb _as the only source of light in the room. Spencer pulled on the frayed, tattered string and illuminated the dank room.

Toby covered his mouth, stifling a cough. "Hey, Spence? When was the last time someone was down here?"

Spencer didn't seem fazed by his question, humming while she glanced at a calendar on the wall. "Oh…2007?" She replied nonchalantly, picking up a yellowed tissue from the stained carpet floor and tossing it in a nearby wastebasket.

In the corner of the room, a cobweb on the ceiling above it like a spotlight, was a series of shelves stacked on top of each other. Each shelf held a plethora of ancient board games, ranging from 'Candyland' to 'Yahtzee'.

Spencer gave the display a once over, pushing past a withered game of checkers and selecting the ever popular Monopoly.

"Ta da!" She announced, gesturing towards the box in her hands. As if on cue, the hastily stacked remaining games on the top shelf began to waver and Toby was there in a flash, reconfiguring the items so that they would balance better. He stopped momentarily, picking up a purple and pink decked receptacle and smirked.

"Pretty Pretty Princess?"

She turned a flattering shade of pink, snatching the box from him and examining it closely. "Hey! In my defense, we haven't been down her in ages. Besides," She sniffed, setting the box down on top of a Battleship one, "You know my parents. They don't care enough to throw it away. I mean, they only got it so they could thrust the opportunity at me, at the tender age of two and a half! They figured I'd stay out of their hair and they could get out of their duty as parents." She looked away, not meeting his eyes which were laden with concern now.

"They never played with us—Melissa or I. Since I can remember, it was always, 'go play with your toys, but leave us alone!' This game was just a clever tactic to keep me occupied. Although," her lips twisted into a wry smile, "I'd pay a lot of money to see you in those tacky, clip-on earrings."

Toby sidled up to her, kissing her cheek and removing the box from her, putting it aside and stroking her hands, which he was holding. "If it's any consolation," He breathed, "When we have kids, we will be the best parents ever. Nothing like yours, and we'll play with them no matter what. Tacky jewelry and all. We will love them so, so much."

Spencer giggled, Toby having come to the rescue yet again. "I'm thinking Toby Jr. will want his own baby motorcycle instead," she teased, picturing a little newborn with a six pack on a Harley Davidson.

"But not without a helmet," Toby said sternly. "We can't let my namesake get hurt."

"No," Spencer cooed, playing along. "We certainly can't."

*** One Hour Later ***

"Owned!" Toby boasted, jumping past Spencer's poor piece, stuck in jail, and landing on the recently purchased Boardwalk.

"Wha—how did you—"Spencer gaped; watching helplessly as her boyfriend single handedly beat her (by a landslide) at yet another board game. Her blood boiled but she was determined not to let it show, for fear of exploding and ruining her thus far clean reputation of being a good competitor on a date. That didn't last too long…

"This is rigged. This is absolutely rigged." She decided, standing up to get a glass of cold water, feeling too homicidal to function.

"I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, Spencer, but you're kind of a sore loser," Toby confessed, standing up as well and wrapping an arm around her neck. She shrugged it off.

"I'm not being a sore loser. I just don't think this is quite fair," She said stubbornly, folding her arms in front of her chest as they entered the kitchen area of the barn—where they had retreated back to after locating the game.

Toby raised an eyebrow amusedly. "Oh? How so?"

"Well, you know…oh!" She sputtered, her mocha eyes ablaze with fire. "You can make me so mad sometimes! Why must you be so—so difficult?"

Toby just laughed it off, carefree as ever. Meanwhile, Spencer continued to ramble, "I just don't get it! How do you _always win_? There must be a secret. Teach me!" She literally begged of Toby, pleading with her eyes and raspy tone that he couldn't say no to. Well, he could, technically.

"Nope."

"What?!" Spencer was incredulous.

"A magician never reveals his secrets." Toby was acting dangerously smug, considering the company he was keeping.

Spencer eventually caved, deciding to go by the 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' rule.

"Fine. Be that way."

"Oh, I—" Toby caught her surprised lips in a passionate kiss, finishing his sentence after a blissful moment or so, "will."

Somehow backed up against a wall, the couple was desperate for affection, each trying to go the longest time without breathing. Spencer ravaged Toby's lips; he in return trailed kisses up and down her neck eliciting shivers and a closer gravitational pull from Spencer.

"So much…" She panted, never having felt so loved before, "for monopoly!"

"I think this is something that we can both agree on," Toby surmised accurately while Spencer boldly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled him into the bedroom.

"And besides," Spencer began, always needing to get the last word in, "this is a game you can't fake to win!"

_Monopoly: __The exclusive possession, control, or exercise of something._

Growing up, Spencer's parents and sister had acted as bankers, herself being only a playing piece in their twisted game of life. They had complete control over her, whether she liked it or not—and she didn't. She was, as Toby had quickly determined, a free soul—someone with a strong will who didn't enjoy being told what to do. What to wear, how to act, who to talk to, what school to go to, and how to obtain a grade. She would have done anything to be released from that prison, which is of course until she got the chance to tutor her 'get out of jail free card'.

Toby was her escape—Spencer's safe place to land. She wouldn't have it any other way, with him she felt content and guarded—unlike with her family. Toby exercised good control—he monopolized her heart. She would give herself entirely up to him at any given moment because of the requited love she had for the boy. True, he monopolized her heart—but Spencer also had control over his. It was a win-win situation, usually resulting in an even deeper connection between the two.

Spencer often times felt trapped in a game, a playing piece on a tired board, ever controlled by outside forces (namely: her family, and _–A_). –A was the ultimate, the supreme banker. They could do anything they wanted and weren't afraid to prove this. Nothing had emotions tied behind it or binding it—things were done to show off points. There was so little that Spencer and the girls could do about it, sometimes they had even stopped trying. Eventually, this all went away and with it the chains of a sick possession that strangled Spencer.

Now, she was only indebted to Toby and his undying, _perpetual _Love.

**Wow, that was longer than I'd intended for it to be! Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them for upcoming chapters. Feel free to always review!  
><strong>

**Also: Thank you **_**So So So **_**much to any and all reviewers! It is so appreciated and certainly fuels the writing process. Questions are always warranted, too. **


	12. Chapter 12

_Joy to the World, the Lord is come!  
>Let earth receive her King…<em>

Spencer's mocha eyes opened and she was surprised upon her awakening for two reasons: not only was she shocked to be tangled up in two layers of designer sheets after an unusually peaceful night, but also that she wasn't tired. But who would call so early in the morning?

"Now why didn't anybody change that?" She grumbled, still groggy from her slumbers. The Hastings' home phone was a musical one, a contraption that enabled the owner to change the song to one of many on a selected list. It was, essentially, a landline ringtone. Although it was nearly a year past last Christmas, the Veronica and Peter had neglected to switch the song back to something more neutral, so every time a phone rang, which wasn't a common occurrence since the invention of cell phones, 'joy' did too.

Without glancing backwards at the clock on her bedside table, she flipped the covers over and hopped out of bed, running a hand through her wavy hair as she approached the living room. "Make it stop…" she hissed quietly, picking the phone up and switching her tone into a proper one, complete with falsetto:

"Hello, Hastings' Residence, how may I help you?" She recited into the mouthpiece, toying with an engraved picture frame on the mantel. Tracing the outline, Spencer's eyes shot to the picture and she gulped—it was of her and Melissa at their Nana's funeral when they were only in elementary school.

"Hi, Spencer, it's Ella. Aria's Mom," She was quick to add, as though Spencer hadn't known her all her life.

"Ah—hi, Mrs. Montgomery!" Her voice rose in surprise—the third that morning. "Is something wrong with Aria?"

"No…no, nothing like that," Her English teacher/best friend's mother began, "I just noticed that you weren't in class today, and the girls are concerned. Aria **swears** that you'd never miss school for any reason, and I can't say I'd disagree. Is everything alright?"

Spencer paused, puzzled, for a moment. "Wait—missed class? What, what time is it; may I ask?" The usually punctual girl felt incredibly uninformed.

"Oh…ten forty-three. Are you feeling OK? Are your parents home, Spencer?"

"They aren't. I'm so, so sorry; I'll make up all the work! I just," She frantically scrambled for an excuse and ultimately realized that she couldn't fool Aria's mother. Spencer had known the women all her life, for goodness' sake! "I guess I must have slept in. I'll be in school in no less than ten minutes!" She promised.

On the other end of the line, Ella chuckled. "It's your lunch set, so you can make it here in no less than thirty-five."

Spencer breathed a sigh of relief, her gaze wandering over to rest on the picture of her as a beaming toddler, and smiled in spite of herself. Aria's mother said something inaudible in Spencer's ear, but she was focused on a little piece of something white wedged in between the banister going up the stairs and the wall it was attached to, and she didn't respond.

"…Spencer? Spencer?" Ella sounded worried now—not the impression that Spencer was hoping to give her that particular morning.

"Sorry, Mrs. Montgomery!" She apologized, waiting awkwardly for the teacher to repeat her question.

"It's quite alright. I was just wondering if everything's OK at home." Her voice lowered and Spencer sensed that they were about to delve into unspoken territory. "Since…all of the, Mona drama; I'm still very concerned about all you girls. I know Aria didn't take it lightly, and I can't imagine you would either. You know that you can always talk to me, right?" She trailed off, unsure of how to phrase a conversation about her students' relentless torture.

Spencer cleared her throat and balanced the phone on one ear while she approached the steps to her room, lightly pulling the object she'd found out of the crevice it had been residing in. "I'm fine, really," She confirmed. "I slept in and my parents had meetings this morning and, for whatever reason, the alarm clock didn't want me to learn calculus today!" She joked, trying to brush off the severity of the phone call with humor.

In her classroom, Ella smiled warmly. "Alright, if you're sure. I'll pass on your dilemma to Aria, because she's convinced that you've been abducted. Have a good day."

"You too, thanks, Mrs. Montgomery," Spencer rushed before pressing the 'end call' button on the home phone. Too anxious to wait even a minute more, she un-crumpled the slip of paper that had been hidden and sure enough, the date was labeled as from yesterday.

Smiling at the familiar handwriting on the page, she read:

_Spencer—_

_Good morning, Sunshine! I couldn't sleep over because I kind of like this job…on the other hand, I guess I kind of like you too, so maybe we can meet up later? :) I also may or may not have done some construction work on that shrill alarm clock of yours. Don't kill me—you need it. Since you fell asleep before ten, I figured you were tired and that your real bed would be more comfortable than ours in the barn. And, I distinctly remember you saying that you were 'so far above your classes that the other kids might as well be mute', so consider this your break. I just wanted to thank you for an amazing night, and remind you that I'm never going to leave you, because you are nothing short of incredible._

She put the note down, her chocolate eyes, now brimming with tears, never leaving the creased sheet of paper. Her heart, which she had thought to be as full as it was capable, swelled to the point of her emotions actually changing: changing from hurt to heard, from lonely to loved, and from cursed to blessed.

But she couldn't be late for school! Tearing her body away from the paper proved to be difficult, so she opted to bring it with her. After all, on the off chance that her parents decided to make a guest appearance in their home, she didn't want any questions asked—Spencer knew all too well their erroneous opinions of Toby. She'd already had to lose him, temporarily; so many times that she couldn't stand to take another chance.

In nearly fifteen minutes flat, Spencer had showered, dressed, and memorized Cavalieri's Principle and its formula.

"This includes, but is not limited to, cylinders and prisms…" She muttered under her breathe, grabbing a light, ivory colored sweater prior to bounding down the stairs.

As a Hastings, Spencer was born to endure high-pressure situations. At birth, she was instilled with a natural anxiety and a dire level of stress—one that caused her to always push herself over limits, but the downside occurred when the perfectionism kicked in. Sure, it was always there, but sometimes it just went too far. For example, impeccable timing was a must for Spencer, so she found it confusing that she wasn't the least bit frantic getting ready to enter school, _late_. It was freeing.

Her heart wasn't tied up so tied that she thought it would burst. Her mind wasn't racing through the punishments she'd endure after having missed two classes. She felt fine—better than fine.

"So this is what the honeymoon phase of being in love feels like…" She mused aloud. 'Too bad senior year, college, and a general lack of income stand in the way,' she added mentally. Her vision darted to a nearby clock—a massive grandfather one that overlooked the living room. At this rate, by the time she got to school her lunch set would be completed, so she decided she'd snatch an apple on her way out the door.

Picking up a pre-washed Golden Delicious, she bit into it, met by a 'crunch' and a dry, grainy texture. "Ugh!" She spat, tossing the apple into the trashcan. "Our family always gets the worst apples." Spencer had inadvertently quoted Ali, but that was appropriate. After all, Alison _never _lied…

Her mind was busied with thoughts of meeting up with the enchanting Toby Cavanaugh after school, and then she stopped; frowning. His number one pet peeve was her non-vigilance towards her own well-being, and she knew it. If she didn't eat something now, he would be on her case all night and they wouldn't get to…indulge.

Against her beliefs, Spencer grudgingly began to pour herself a bowl of cereal. Upon remembering how much she was smitten with Toby, she cheered up yet again; and _then _proceeded to eat her granola.

When she arrived in the lunchroom, with ten minutes to spare, Hanna literally clutched at her heart with relief.

"Hi, guys," Spencer sidled into one of the cafeteria chairs—oddly comfortable, plastic reminders of how hard and small the bright orange stools that the middle and elementary schools had were. In any event, the latecomer had tried to be inconspicuous but, trained by –A's watchful eyes, the girls wouldn't fall for that.

Visibly relaxing, Aria stood up (all five feet of her) and leaned down to hug her best friend. Her hazel eyes were laden with worry.

"Where were you?" She demanded, all though the trembling of her voice made it sound like less of an inquiry and more of a whimper.

Trying as hard as she could to stifle a laugh, Spencer coughed, weakly grinning. "I'm fine, Ar. You really needn't be so concerned!"

"…Says the most anxious person in Pennsylvania," Hanna noted, setting her blueberry muffin down and brushing her pleated skirt of any crumbs.

Aria released Spencer and sat back down, flustered. "You're just really skinny… and I love you!"

The girl smiled sweetly, once again on the verge of laughing at her friend. "I love you too," She elaborated, swiping one of Hanna's grapes as she spoke. In return, the blonde snatched her lunch away from Spencer like the table was aflame

"You may have more when you explain. So," she popped a seedless grape into her mouth and continued, "explain."

Not even two words into her explanation, she was interrupted. "Last night," she started, fully intending to go into the details of her date before Hanna cut in, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Oh my gosh, you're radiant! What did you and Toby do that's got you glowing?" Hanna let out a theatrical gasp—one so loud that it startled the other girls. A realization had come to her, and Spencer feared for her pristine reputation.

"You're not—you're not pregnant, are you?" She whispered in a voice barely audible., her eyes wild with excitement.

Unknown to the girls, Caleb had sneaked up behind Hanna. He wrapped his arms loosely around her neck. "Who's pregnant?" He asked, enunciating the 't' as he always did. "I hope not Hanna."

"_**Nobody**_ is pregnant," Spencer firmly assured him, sending a death glare towards the girl who had suggested it.

This didn't faze Hanna, whose eyes once again lit up. "Did he propose?" Her boyfriend was having difficulty following their conversation.

"Wait." He pulled a chair out next to Hanna and sat down, propping himself up on the table with his elbows. "Who's getting married?" He pretended to shoot an angry look at Emily. "You told her about the proposal?" Caleb joked.

Hanna slapped his arm playfully. "Not funny. Unless you're actually buying me a diamond ring, I do not appreciate you kidding about this."

"Ok! Ok," He held his hands up in defense, standing to leave the girls' vicinity. "So…last question. What is this about, exactly…?"

"Story time," Spencer drawled, sarcastically. "As I was saying," She hissed, pointedly at Hanna who smiled sheepishly and passed Emily some of her grapes. "Toby came over, and…oh, he's just so sweet!" She gushed.

"I'm gonna go…Uh, nice talking to you, Spencer," Caleb awkwardly left his seat and walked away. Emily covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled, unbeknownst to anyone but Aria, who nudged her, grinning.

Hanna's face fell. "No baby genius then?"

"Han, look at me," Spencer said, emphasizing her point by clapping out syllables, a feature that caused Aria to snicker. "I. Am not. Pregnant. Alright?"

"Fine. But now I don't have a pocket Hastings to do my work for me, so you're stuck tutoring. History test tomorrow!" She sang. The contorted look on Emily's face was equivalent to the one Spencer wanted to make, but _she _resisted the urge.

Spencer opened her mouth to retort, but Aria interjected quickly. "In lieu of conception, what _did _happen on this date?"

"We played Monopoly!" The girl beamed. Elated, she took a sip of the iced tea that Aria had pushed at her.

Emily's face contorted into bafflement. "Um, is that supposed to mean something else?" She inquired, her hands fidgeting on their own accord.

Spencer shook her head no, earning another gasp from Hanna. "Unbelievable!" She cried, stretching the word out into five separate entities. "Is that _all _you guys do—play board games? Last time it was Scrabble, now monopoly? You have all the time to do…you know, whatever, and you opt to play children's games instead? I am disappointed, Spencer Hastings. I mean, if _I _had a boyfriend like Toby, you wouldn't see me wasting a good night on—"

"Han," Aria cut her off before she could finish her presumably suggestive statement. "Caleb. Remember him? Shaggy, could stand for a haircut…"

The blond sniffed, "I don't know what you are insinuating!"

By some miracle, Spencer was now drifting down from cloud nine [temporarily].

"May I cut in?" Without waiting for a response, she said, "Yes, Han, we really do actually enjoy each other's company instead of having at it every waking minute. That's _love_." Upon saying that last word, she grinned again, reverting back into the haven of world peace and Toby Cavanaugh.

Timidly, Emily spoke up. "Are you going to stay like this, or…?" She asked, referring to her friend's new, eased state of bliss.

Spencer was puzzled, the final proof that she wasn't herself. She was practically a certified genius even on a bad day, so her brain must've really been jumbled. "I don't know. I think…and I know this sounds stupid, but I think Toby knocked all of the stress out of me the other night. I feel different." Recognizing how sappy that sounded, she shuddered slightly, but didn't revoke her wording.

Aria interjected gently, "Are you sure that Dr. Sullivan didn't put you on anything? She did say you were getting better, but is there a possibility, Spencer?"

"Positive!" She chimed. Her smile wavered for a minute. "Don't you guys just get tired of being so depressed sometimes? And living in such a fragile way all the time? I like being happy—I like where we are now."

Hanna seemed utterly loss. The only medical topic she understood was 'ambiguous loss'. "Spencer, what about Mona? She, she tried to kill you! Come on, are you OK?"

"I know. But she's locked up now. And we're safe to sleep at night. I realized when I woke up this morning that the only thing holding us back is our own paranoia. If we stop looking over our shoulders every ten seconds, the PTSD would just dissipate! It works, guys, trust me."

"Now how did Toby get the most tense, paranoid person in the world to de-stress?" Emily mused aloud.

Spencer shrugged, chewing on her lip briefly as she pondered this question herself. "I don't know." About to continue, Aria cut her off, smoothly.

"Wow. A question Spencer Hastings can't answer. Interesting."

"I will have you know," The indignant brunette began, folding her arms across her chest. Suddenly, her tone of voice softened and she finished, "I was just really, really sick of being tossed around like some guinea pig and watching everyone I knew and loved die because of this town. It's time for us to let go. It's over."

"Thanks for the pep talk," Emily sighed, stabbing her salad with a flimsy, plastic fork.

Spencer reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I know it's…and it's especially hard for you but you've got us, right? And your parents, and Paige…"

"And a therapist, and a swim team…" Emily completed Spencer's thought for her, genuinely smiling afterwards. "I know. You're right. As always," She smirked.

"Speaking of us," Aria introduced, pinning a ladybug clip to her hair, Heaven forbid she wear inanimate jewelry! "Summer's almost over and we spent most of it in a lament. Make plans later?" She offered, her hands empty, having also tied up her brunette locks with a red and black polka-dotted bow.

The girls all nodded in agreement and splayed off into their own separate worlds.

Spencer busied herself with what to say when she called Toby that afternoon…

_Sunrise, eyes wide open still—  
>So I tuck you in<br>You are a still life—sleeping sweet  
>And we are painted by my things, let's lie until<br>Time stands still…_

_And life is a song about you  
>&amp; finally I'm singing in tune<br>I wanted bliss  
>And here it is…<br>_

**As always, thank you so much for reading and feedback is much appreciated! Thanks to anyone who reviewed for Chapter 11. The next installment will probably be the end of ****Remind Me****, but I cannot wait to update with a new story! **

**Regarding Toby (the TV version): I don't really know what to make of the show at this point, but I'm going to ignore doubts because, as Spencer noted in this chapter, "that's **_**love**_**." On another note, who's excited for the Halloween episode? Does anybody have any predictions? **

**I do not own PLL or The Bliss Song, by ****Tone Damli Aaberge. This song is so perfect that if all of the lyrics could've been incorporated, they would've been! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

Avoiding the one topic that always on her mind during her last class proved to be difficult, so she excused herself from the wrath of chorus class and took a bathroom pass on her escape. When Spencer walked throughout the hallways to clear her head, though, a familiar grip encased her hand and yanked her into the girls' bathroom.

"What the H—Aria?" She cried, frantically searching the room for hidden cameras. "What is this, an abduction scene?"

In the second floor bathroom were Hanna, Emily, and Aria; surrounded by scattered tubes of lip-gloss and, in Hanna's case, nail files and polish.

Without waiting for a response, Spencer put on her most matronly voice and put her hands on her hips, standing taller than a minute ago. "Do you guys just always skip class when I'm not here?"

Hanna shrugged. "Pretty much…?" Emily offered up weakly. Spencer rolled her eyes.

"Well, glad to know I'm such a positive role model." She opened her mouth to say something equally snide, but Aria already had another agenda.

"Hear ye! Now that our last member has joined, why don't we bring this meeting to order?" It was Emily's turn to roll her eyes, which earned her a glare from the shortest senior in Rosewood.

"Meeting of…" Hanna's voice trailed off. The blonde didn't even look up from stroking on a coat of clear nail polish.

"And why are we convening in the bathroom?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she had answered her own question. "Because we always do," She sighed, leaning against the line of sinks behind her.

In the most serious, innocent tone she could muster Aria responded, "To plan! All in favor of celebrating our lives before we're buried in piles of SATs and midterms, say aye!"

If it had been a movie, you would've heard crickets chirping in the background. "Look alive, people!" Aria tried, to no avail.

"Fine." She introduced a different approach—her arms folded in front of her chest. "Anyone?" Her inquiry came out through gritted teeth.

Hanna glanced up and laughed, out loud, at Aria standing lividly in front of her. "I know we all want to, Ar, but is the dialect necessary?"

Emily, ever the peacemaker, decided to interrupt. "So who has an idea?" she asked loudly.

"Movie?" Hanna suggested, blowing lightly on her nails to aid their drying.

"No, we just did a movie," Aria contradicted. "What about…pottery?"

"You did not just say that." Spencer looked terrified. While she had become more adventurous in her fashion (partly because of Toby), art was _not _her forte. She much preferred thousand word essays on the Revolutionary War to painting what she 'felt'.

Aria defended herself, saying, "What? It seemed like a fun idea!"

"Sticking your hands in mud colored goop and getting hardened clay in your nails for weeks only so you can have a lumpy, rocky mug that no one will ever drink out of is never fun," Hanna ranted.

"Well if you didn't like it, you could have just said so nicely!" Aria huffed and folded her arms in front of her chest, suddenly irritable.

Hanna parted her lips, about to say something along the lines of 'but I did!' when Spencer shot her a look and the door swung wide open revealing a puzzled and bewildered Ella Montgomery.

"Hello, ladies," She cleared her throat, awkwardly. "Shouldn't we be in our classes?" She looked straight at Spencer as she said this, narrowing her eyes accusatorily. "May I speak to you in my room when you're done, Miss Hastings?"

Spencer silently cursed her level of comfort with her best friend's mother. And her impeccably bad timing that day.

Emily and Hanna smothered snickers and Aria's eyes widened by tenfold. They watched Ella slowly open the door and walk out, but not before pausing and looking her daughter directly in the eyes. Aria nodded so slightly that only Emily noticed, and her mother left—shaking her head in disbelief.

"Ooh," Hanna crooned, grinning wildly. "Hastings is in trouble! What is this, a day of records?"

"Knock it off, Han," Spencer growled, her stomach twisting into knots. "I'll be back." Now she was willing to mass produce a hundred clay bowls if it meant she could get out of this mess for free. She'd even donate them to the Radley Sanitarium, for Heaven's sake—never mind, the jagged, disfigured receptacles Spencer would create would be classified as weapons and then she'd be in line for jail, not a date with her English teacher.

Spencer figured that she'd prefer federal prison to the wrath of Ella Montgomery in the near presence of her best friends, who were already suspicious of her enough. Breaking through the barriers between her last recluse (the bathroom) and the impending doom fated to her (certain death), she stepped out into the hallway directly in front of her English classroom. The room's OCD-friendly, organized desks no longer made Spencer swell up with comfort. On this occasion, the room sporting quotes from the likes of everyone from Lewis Carroll to Charles Dickens felt a lot less like a library setting and more like a criminal investigation room.

"Sit down," Ella said politely, gesturing with a red grading pen at a seat beside her teacher's desk upon seeing Spencer's pale face appear in the doorway. She gulped; the youngest Hastings obliging and barely allowing herself to touch the seat before, expectantly, Spencer met Ella's eye contact and flinched.

"Listen, Spencer," Mrs. Montgomery began, drawing absentminded swirls on a yellow legal pad of paper on her desk. Spencer smiled, noting the root of Aria's artistic tendencies. "in a case like this, as an adolescent educator, and especially in this town—it is my teaching to make moves. Under normal circumstances, this would be written off as a disciplinary breach, or, considering your pristine record barring, um, legalities; your family life would be evaluated. Parents would be called and meetings arranged, but frankly—well, I know your parents, dear. No offense meant directly to them at all, but we've spoken, and I can't let this particular situation get frazzled amidst Rosewood's elite lawyers with much more important things to do than straighten out their daughter's alarm clock, if you don't mind me saying so."

Mrs. Montgomery smiled sadly. "I love your parents, Spencer; and they've raised a fine girl such as yourself. Sometimes, though, as a mother it's hard to connect with your daughter and doing so vicariously isn't all that easy either." Spencer could tell that she was referring to the therapist that her mother assigned her to in lieu of spending quality mother/daughter time with the teen.

"So here's what I'm going to do, and I'm afraid that there isn't much of an option here. I've heard bits and pieces of what's going on in all of you girls' lives, and although it isn't my place to insert myself, I'm asking to be somewhat involved. This is not going anywhere near your relatives, your best friends, your doctors, or the police—because I want you four out of media attention even more than you do! But please, Spencer—can you answer some questions just to settle my mind? I'm going to come off as over concerned, but if my daughter's best friend is losing her strongly-forged path, I might just vicariously lose sleep at night!"

And with that, Spencer had a very heavy decision placed on her shoulders. Could she trust anyone, especially with the feelings that she had yet to share with her closest peers?

"What is it you're…worried about?" Spencer squirmed, not wanting to divulge too much, but just enough that she would be off the hook from inspection.

"I think what's getting me is that you don't have…an adult mentor, if you will. True, you've always been a very self reliant, independent woman—even since kindergarten—but aside from cordial relations with teachers and Dr. Sullivan, it's my impression that your only confidants are close friends and Toby." She was quick to rush in and add that, "while I deeply respect Toby for paving his own way in life, and I may be biased about Aria and her stellar group of friends, I am concerned that you're only opinion going through life is going to be an age appropriate one, and I'm not sure that that's ideal. Can you at least see where I'm coming from, so I don't sound like an overprotective mother?" Awkwardly, Mrs. Montgomery laughed and let her red ink pen roll to the side of the legal pad.

When Spencer failed to respond, her English teacher merely smiled and pressed on. "I can tell that this isn't making much sense. Let me try to explain better… Honey, if it had been any other senior coming in late and gossiping on the bathroom floor, I'd be required to look into the matter. Now I'm not worried about your grades slipping; you're a Hastings; I know for a fact that every Ivy League school in the country is going to be jealous of the one that you choose. It's more of a social standpoint that I'm fixated on here. The way I picture it, this could go two ways: you completely lose sight of the good authority in your life—Dr. Sullivan and the adults who care about you—and let all of those efforts go to waste, or you get so wrapped up in your schoolwork that you start to neglect your closest friends too; Toby included. I don't want to sit back and watch that happen, because before all of this drama with Alison started, and even through it, you've always had such potential. I don't want to watch that all slip away, because a terrible thing messed with a beautiful person."

Always one to overanalyze, the youngest Hastings pieced together the words she'd been absorbing and paraphrased to her English teacher as clarification. "So, in order to avoid losing sight of authority and human relationships, you want me to slack off and spend more time with people…? I should rebel to escape the future of becoming a rebel? Also, with all due respect, Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Toby are not people that I would ever take for granted—in fact, the reason I was late today was because I did what I think you're telling me to do—stay connected." Spencer blushed subtly, remembering the note that Toby had left her that morning.

"My advice, shockingly enough, **is** to remain correlated. Remember, sometimes it's more important to spend time with your friends and break your own rules once in awhile than to be consumed by the world's many oppressions. You are intuitive and seem to already have gathered that from my lecture just now, so I wish you the best of luck in the fine art of _savoring_. Appreciating; relaxing, whatever it takes to realign yourself to avoid going insane this year, Spencer."

The student sat stunned for a minute, drinking in the wisdom that was being passed down to her. "Thanks, Mrs. Montgomery," Spencer spoke, surprised at how genuinely this flowed from her lips. She'd gone into the room feeling more tense than ever, and was exiting as someone who'd been enlightened.

"Anytime. I do have one more thing, though. Although I admit that I just told you it's OK to put yourselves before anxiety over schoolwork, try not to convene on the bathroom floor. It's really not the mot sanitary place, and not operative to you girls' health." There was a twinkle in Ella's eye as she once again picked up her red pen, nonverbally dismissing Spencer from her room.

When she walked out of her English classroom, Spencer was observant, but not terribly surprised, of her best friends inconspicuously huddled by the door in an attempt at eavesdropping.

"So?" Aria introduced, "What did my mother say…?" She didn't sound particularly anxious to hear the answer, leading Spencer to believe that Aria had a bad premonition about their meeting.

Confused and dazed still, Spencer rasped, "I think she told me to get a life?" It came out more as a question than a statement. "Or go to a party, rather?"

"Say _what_?" Hanna broke in, holding her hands up defensively. "Alright, Aria; I want some personal advice from your mom now, too. Are there, like, tickets to 'said party'?"

Emily, the reasonable one, stepped in. "Spencer? What exactly do you mean? I m—well, we thought that Mrs. Montgomery wouldn't be particularly pleased about the whole playing hooky situation today, but a party?" She furrowed her brows, and Spencer realized that her friends were taking her own interpretation of Ella's advice a little too seriously.

"Guys! I think the message was more along the lines of…have fun. Stop being such a control freak. It definitely came out sounding like advice from Alison, though. Aria, your mom essentially said, and I surmise, 'allow yourself the privilege of being a high school senior'. And in Rosewood, I'm pretty sure that entails at least one frat party and a minimal amount of liquor."

Hanna stuck out her lips in a mock pout. "So Aria's mom is in favor of drinking, whereas I get _cajoled_ into a little alcohol by that witch Kate and practically have my head cut off? Sign me up for Mrs. Montgomery's advisory today, please!" As though struck by an unpleasant thought, she then frowned. "Wait, does this mean I have to start doing sufficiently in English to get the go-ahead to slack? I knew I should've read that book!"

"Which one…?" Emily inquired, seeing as their class had already examined many short compositions that year.

Hanna huffed, discouraged. "Oh, you know…that one with all of the definitions…"

Aria stifled a laugh. "You mean the _dictionary_? But I thought you became Miss 'Eloquent Speech' over the summer?"

"So I may have skipped over a few letters of the alphabet," Hanna confessed, sheepishly. "Don't I still get to party with the geniuses?"

"Chill, Han. I'm not actually going to take her advice literally." Spencer smiled sweetly, her mind veering towards its most content state. "I do like the irony of her telling me to calm the heck down while we were in the middle of planning a mental escape, though. Any new developments in those plans?" It wasn't that she expected any decisions to have been made—Spencer knew full well that the other three girls were gossiping still and taking bets on what her punishment for being so uncharacteristic that day would be.

Aria's lips curled up sheepishly. "Uh, guilty as charged…so maybe we weren't exactly in planning mode." To make Spencer forget their crime, she quickly suggested the first thing that popped into her head.

"But—end of summer, teenagers some of whom have curfews—mosaics?" Before any of the other girls could retort, Emily blurted out her idea.

"Pool party?"

As Spencer and Hanna nodded eagerly, Aria frowned to show her offense. "So, my attempt at sharing in my hobby is shot down and abused, in fact," she began, glaring at Hanna with her earlier comments of clay resembling mud, "when the swimmer who practically lives in a pool offers up the water, it's as if Michael Phelps personally recommended the outing!" Turning to Emily, Aria's outlook completely changed. "Granted, that sounds super fun." Suddenly, the shortest girl grinned. "Just because you're being scouted by every college with a water hose, I suppose I have to agree with everyone. Swimming it is!"

Plans began to erupt, along with questions from each of the girls about bringing a 'plus one'. "Can I bring Ezra?" Aria asked in somewhat of a whine, still slightly bitter that her choices for their party had been vetoed. "You guys never get to see him!"

"And shirtless is the best introduction?" Spencer joked, kicking aside a forlorn pencil that littered the otherwise empty hallway. This elicited laughter from the girls, and Spencer took this as a go-ahead to introduce another sly tactic. "In that case," She began nonchalantly, "can I bring Toby?"

Hanna's eyes lit up. "And will he be shirtless?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "No, he probably swims in a wetsuit, Han. And Spencer, fine— if he must come…" she sighed, feigning exasperation. Inside, she was grinning—elated that two of her best friends were a couple.

Probably more excited than she should've been for something that was considered such a simple pleasure, a smile was plastered to Spencer's face as she anticipated the gathering that afternoon. She'd already texted Toby telling him to meet her (in swimming attire) at the Rosewood Community Recreational Pool, and was pulling up in her car to meet with everyone there. Although it was still hot enough outside that swimming was warranted, with the hustle of the school days, the girls knew that they would be the only ones vying for a lane.

Emily had arrived early, and was already doing laps as a 'warm up' with Caleb, surprisingly enough. Hanna and Aria were munching on chips and salsa in bikinis at a table along with Ezra, and to Spencer's shock—Toby.

"How did you get here so early?" She inquired, leaning down to peck his lips. Spencer set down a jug of lemonade on the table as she did so.

"We finished an addition faster than expected. And," he beamed, "got a bonus."

As Spencer congratulated him, Hanna brushed a few grains of salt off of her hands and stood up, announcing her readiness to swim. The lovesick couple that they were, Aria and Ezra followed suit, jumping into the water hand in hand.

Once everyone including Spencer and Toby had made their way into the pool and had settled, which involved a very stubborn Emily splashing Caleb as he'd 'accidentally' dumped a bucket of water over her head, the sun began to set; painting a picture perfect movie scene over the water.

"This is therapeutic," Hanna mused, closing her eyes momentarily and letting the water turn still around her.

Grinning foolishly, Ezra spoke. "And here I thought shopping was!"

Hanna glared at Aria, assuming that she had told their former teacher of the blonde's affinity for clothes.

"So I gave him some general characteristics…and catchphrases," Aria admitted, gripping onto her boyfriend's arm like she was afraid she'd drown.

Meanwhile, Spencer was pulled in close to Toby, who resided in the corner of the pool. This was the quintessential position to be perpetually hugging, and for Toby to kiss his girlfriend's neck every so often when she would lazily let her mind wander.

"Spence," He whispered underneath his breath, when the rest of the gang was absorbed with their own banter and didn't notice Spencer and Toby's absence from the conversation.

"Hm?" She hummed, the vibrations from her voice a soothing familiarity to Toby.

He kissed the top of her head, which was still dry due to a refusal of submerging herself in the 'overly chlorinated pool contents'. "I'm really happy that we made it through the summer, and that I can always say that I have you. And," he pressed on, hugging her thin figure to him under the water, "I have to confess something, but don't laugh. Yet."

Spencer craned her head around to face his, perplexed. "I'm intrigued. Go on," she hurried him.

"You look beautiful. And I always think that, but I can't help but say it now. Don't tease. I was just noticing that I'm lucky."

Unable to contain herself, Spencer stood on her tiptoes, meeting the gravely floor of the pool and kissed Toby full on the lips, causing cheers, from Hanna of course.

"You think _you're _lucky? I didn't even think I would make it through the summer, Toby. But as always, you remind me why I'm still sane, why I can do things like this." Spencer gestured to the pool party that they had created in one short afternoon. "You remind me."

_All those things that you used to do  
>That made me fall in love with you<br>Remind me, oh, baby, remind me_

_So on fire, so in love_

_Way back when we couldn't get enough  
>Remind me, remind me…<em>

**Long overdue, here is the last installment of ****Remind Me****! Bit by bit I'd been adding to this, and I hope the outcome is sufficient. I so enjoyed writing this, and thanks to everyone who read and reviewed/favorited/followed. It is always, always appreciated :)**

**To whom it may concern, happy holidays! PLL is back on soon, as well (too soon in my opinion—still recovering from the reveal). It will be interesting to see how the writers plan to further reduce an incredible love story such as Spencer and Toby's. In other news, I hope to update in the very near future with a new Spoby tale, in lieu of the show's plot!**


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